


To Sell A Soul

by The_Pocket_Llama



Category: Undertale
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Attempted Kidnapping, Character Death, Drug Use, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Mobster AU, No Skeleton Ghost Penis, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Verbal Frisk, Organized Crime, Reader Is Not Frisk, Sensitive bones, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-05-21 16:59:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6059038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Pocket_Llama/pseuds/The_Pocket_Llama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You were a fence, selling illegal goods brought to you to turn up a quick profit. It was when the infamous W.D., who ran one of the biggest monster gangs around, contacted you that you knew things were about to change.</p><p>(A Sans/Reader Mobster AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I guess this is normal?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this instead of sleeping last night lmao.
> 
> I have always loved gang AUs (where my fake AH crew lovers at :3c) so I decided to write the fuckery that is the Undertale Mobster AU.
> 
> Also, this is completely written on my cellphone, so if you see any mistakes please let me know! Comments are also greatly encouraged, and would honestly make my day :D

It was a fairly average day. A few passerby's came in, admiring your shop before turning back on their way. Of course, you didn't mind. People hardly ever bought anything at your store, treating it more like a museum of oddities than anything.

In the end, you really didn't need the sales. You actually preferred to keep your collection as whole as possible. A lot of it was stuff you managed to find or make yourself. A crocodile skull that you cleaned and bleached, a collection of books from hundreds of years ago that you have found through the years, globes that were as beautiful as they were geographically inaccurate.

So much of your collection was weirdly personal, and you preferred to keep it that way. Besides, it was only a facade to cover your real job.

As if on cue, Harriet pushed through the door with a grin pulling at her lips. That was never a good sign for you... Meant there was work to be done.

Harriet would be considered a friend, if you were asked, though it was rare you talked outside of work. She was a monster, humanoid aside from the thick fur that covered her body and large mouse ears. She was sharp as a whip, beautiful in her own right, and graceful to boot. 

"Hello, love," she hummed as she approached the counter, leaning her elbows on the lacquered wood. "I have the best news for you."

Yes, this was definitely a bad sign.

"For some reason I don't believe you," you quipped with a smile, rolling your eyes as she began to pout, "But go ahead. Can't be any worse than the last time you brought 'good news'."

"Oh, you know that was a fun one! It's not every day you get your hands on dinosaur bones like that." She smiled fondly at the memory, resting her chin in her paw, "But I'm just a messenger this time. One of W.D.'s boys wants to talk to you 'bout something."

W.D.

Just the name caused the hair on your arms to raise. He was infamous, taking part in running one of the largest monster gangs in the city of Ebott. You'd never met him or his inner circle, though there wasn't much reason for you to. You were simply a fence, selling the ill gained goods your clients brought to you and getting a cut of the profit. It was interesting work, and you made enough cash to live comfortably and keep your strange shop open.

If W.D. wanted someone in his inner circle to speak to you personally, it could only mean something huge.

"Okay," your voice was hesitant, fingers tapping on the countertop as you avoided Harriet's gaze, "Where and when?"

"Straight to the point; I always liked you for that, love. I was told to give you this." She stood up from her slouched position, reaching in her jacket pocket and pulling out a slightly bent envelope. She winked as you took it from her paw.

And with that, she turned to leave, pulling her scarf up over her mouth and offering a quick parting of, "Good luck, love. I'll be back soon with more work for ya!"

The bell above the door chimed as she stepped out, and you were left staring at the envelope in your hand. It was a crisp white, thicker than normal envelopes and bent at the corners, most likely due to Harriet's carelessness. One thing that you noticed, however, was the grey wax seal with an intricate heart design melted into it, keeping the envelope sealed tight.

Sucking in a breath, you carefully tore open the letter and began to read.

\---

Grillby's was a place you visited quite often. It had a warm atmosphere, and made for a comfortable place to talk to monster clients without prying eyes. Grillby, though he never spoke a word, always seemed to greet you kindly. Then again, you were one of the few humans to be a regular there.

You took your usual seat at the bar, offering the fire monster a smile, "Hello, Grillby. Doing well?" You knew to stick to yes or no questions. It kept him from having to mime out what he wanted to say. There had been a few times where you had made a fool of both of you because of that exact situation, so you avoided it when you could.

He gave a small nod, gesturing to the cup in his hand. 'Would you like a drink?'

"I'm on work. Have anything nonalcoholic? Maybe something warm?" You had doubts he would, but it was worth a shot asking, right? He paused a moment, pressing a finger to his chin in thought before giving a small nod. You watched as he fled into the back room, coming back out with two small cardboard boxes and a mug. One was assorted fruit tea, and the other hot chocolate. "You never fail to impress me, Grillby. Some cherry tea sounds amazing right now."

His flames brightened a bit at the compliment and he gave a slight bow before fixing you a mug. You watched with interest as he filled the glass with water, holding it in his hands carefully until it started boiling. Magic was simply fascinating, and you found yourself staring like a giddy child. With a few sugar cubes and the tea bag placed in the mug, he slid it over towards you.

"That's always so cool to watch. Thank you, Grillby." You grinned, blowing the surface of the tea carefully. He gave another small bow, placing the boxes back behind the counter before moving on to other patrons. Glancing at the time, you raised a brow. You knew you were a bit early, but as the minutes ticked by you wondered if the monster you were supposed to be meeting was going to be late.

You heard the door open behind you, a chorus of "Sans!" and "Sansy!" welcoming the familiar skeleton monster. He was a regular there, much like you, though you really hadn't talked to him. You preferred to keep to yourself, especially when meeting clients, and he kept his distance, always sitting a few seats down from you at the bar.

This time, however, he sat at the spot right next to you. You glanced up from your tea, offering a slightly nervous smile in his direction. He seemed to be watching you, the permanent grin on his face widening. Under the gaze of the pinpricks of light in his eye sockets, you couldn't help but tense. It wasn't as though you disliked the skeleton or had any real reason to avoid him, he just made you feel... Nervous.

"You know, if I didn't know any better I'd think you want to jump my bones with the way you're staring." He chuckled, giving you a playful wink. It was the first time you had really heard him speak. His voice was a deep, baritone drawl, and definitely pleasant to listen to, despite his teasing words. Heat rushed to your face as you turned away, suddenly finding your tea far more interesting to look at.

"You, er, usually sit farther away. Not that I mind, it just threw me off a little." You corrected yourself, trying not to grimace at your own awkwardness.

If he was offended, he didn't show it. Instead he let out another soft laugh, "Don't worry, kid, I don't bite. There are plenty of monsters more hot headed than I am. Speaking of," he glanced over your shoulder, giving a lazy wave, "I'll take the usual, Grillbz."

You glanced over to see the fire monster give a nod, pulling a ketchup bottle from behind the counter and sliding it over to the skeleton. You glanced over in curiosity, and the skeleton locked gazes with you. A shit eating grin was on his face as he popped the cap off the ketchup... And. Drank it. He drank plain ketchup.

There was a beat of silence. You raised a brow before turning back to your tea and taking a sip, your poker face threatening to crack as the monster burst into rumbling laughter. A smile twitched at your lips as you took another sip of tea before placing it back on the counter.

"T-that was the best reaction I've gotten yet." He snickered, hand gripping the counter as he tried to stifle his laughter. You rolled your eyes, but couldn't help laughing as well.

"You totally just did that to get a reaction out of me." You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest in an attempt to look disgruntled at his joke. It didn't work as well as you hoped, as you were still struggling to hold back your laughter. He simply shrugged in reply.

"What can I say, I'm a bona fide comedian." He winked before taking another swig of ketchup, "Now, I'm not exactly one for serious talk, but business is business. I assume you got my boss's letter?"

You deadpanned. "Wait. You're the one I was supposed to be meeting?" You didn't exactly think a skeleton who liked to drink ketchup straight from the bottle would be one of W.D.'s men. 

He put a hand over his chest, feigning a look of sadness, "Ouch. Don't sound so surprised, kid. You're breakin' my heart here. Y'know, if I had one."

"Sorry, sorry, I just wasn't expecting it, y'know?" You gave a thoughtful hum, "Usually I don't work with people I recognize. I assume Harriet told you about me?"

"Heh, that obvious? Said you helped her with her own... Pet projects." _Of course she would brag about the dinosaur bones,_ "The boss figured you'd be able to help our operation."

You gave a small nod, "I'll do what I can. Haven't found something I hadn't been able to turn a profit from yet." It was the truth. You were damn good at what you did.

He shook his head, chuckling as if you had said something incredibly funny, "It's not about the profit with this one, kid. It's about finding a buyer that won't fuck my boss over after the fact."

You furrowed your brows, confusion written all over your face, "What do you mean by that?"

"We need you to sell a soul." There was no wink, no laughter as he spoke. He was dead serious.

"You need me to sell... What?" Your voice was hushed in disbelief.

"A soul."

So you had heard him right.

You blinked once. Twice. Before finally speaking.

"... Guess there's a first for everything."


	2. I guess breakfast is good?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More questions!  
> More skeletons!  
> More awful puns!
> 
> Like last chapter, this is all done on my phone, so let me know if you see any glaring errors. Comments are always appreciated as well~ :3

You groaned as you fell face first onto your couch. Your head throbbed and you wanted nothing more than to sleep the next week away, but you knew that wasn’t possible. 

Reflecting over the events of the evening at the bar didn’t serve to help your anxious state.

_The skeleton almost looked smug as you tapped your fingers against the wooden bar nervously. Maybe he was relishing in the fact that your confidence was taken down a peg, or maybe he just enjoyed seeing your flustered state as you mumbled incoherently to yourself. A soul. A soul!? How the hell did they even get one in the first place? No, no, you never asked questions, and you weren’t about to start now._

_“So do we have an agreement, kid?” He broke you out of your thoughts, and you ran a hand through your hair as you tried to calm yourself. You really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, you knew._

_“Yeah. We, uh, we have a deal.”_

You let out another whine, burying your face into your throw pillow. The skeleton, Sans, said he would keep in touch before leaving you to your cold tea. He didn’t say how, and didn’t bother to give you his number, but you had a feeling he’d find a way.

With a sigh, you sat up, reaching for your laptop. It was better to start your research now, seeing as the sooner you could come up with buyers for Sans, the sooner you could get this headache over with. 

Pulling up new tab, you decided to look up your client first and foremost. 

W.D. 

Unsurprisingly, there was very little about him online. There were few news stories about the gang that ran rampant under his control, a few unsolved crimes being linked to him, though without enough information on him to bring him down… it seemed like W.D. was very good at his job, and even better at keeping out of public eye. There wasn’t even a picture to work with.

Slightly peeved at the lack of information, you decided to look up Sans instead. Both he and his brother had both been accused of conspiring with W.D. in the last year, though there wasn’t enough information linking them to the crimes to put them away. In the photos available, Sans had the same casual posture and sly grin on his face—as well as the same lazy aura that he had when you met him in the bar. You pondered what it was Sans actually did for the group… If he had knowledge of W.D. having a soul, he had to be pretty high up, right? Then again, you had little information on how things ran from the inside... Your thoughts were starting to run in circles and you sighed, finally giving up on finding any more than surface information about the mysterious skeleton. 

You started the task at hand, looking up on all the black market sites you could think of on the price and relevancy of a soul. To your dismay, it seemed that such a thing wasn’t one that was sold, at least not seriously. There were some who wanted to sell their own soul while they remained alive, but that was a different matter entirely, and you kept searching. 

You couldn’t help but wonder how on Earth they managed to get a soul in the first place. Before you started working with monsters, you thought such a thing was just an intangible thought. You couldn’t see or hold a soul, so you struggled to think it even existed. When you started working with her, Harriet was quick to tell you differently. Monsters could see and feel souls far better than any human could. She said that they even had the power to take souls from humans killed, though it wasn’t a common occurrence. Only very few humans even knew of the power monsters had, due to the fact that if it was widely known, the use of magic might be threatened worse than it already was.

There was talk through the grapevine of hostilities between monsters and humans. Not just the gangs that split the city of Ebott in two, but the politicians that wanted to keep monsters on a tight leash, and the very real threat of war breaking out between the two races as well. 

It was all the more reason for you to be cautious, and to keep the knowledge of souls to yourself. 

Shutting your laptop, you trudged off to shower and sleep off the stress of the day. Your questions could wait until they could be answered.

\---

You were woken from your dreamless sleep to violent banging on your apartment door. Immediately your brain went into panic mode. The cops were there, they had found out about your affiliations. Maybe it was an angry ex client? Have you even made any enemies? You grabbed the metal bat by your bedside, heart pounding out of your chest as you made your way to the front door. Another loud series of knocks, followed by muffled yelling. 

You looked out the peep hole to see… Sans standing next to a very, very tall skeleton who looked like he was about to start hammering on the door again. You unlocked the door, pulling it open the smallest bit and catching the attention of the monsters when you poked your head out.

The unknown skeleton was slender, wearing a similar ensemble to Sans, a dress shirt, slacks, and suspenders. Where Sans eye sockets were wide with tiny pinpricks of light inside them, this skeleton’s eyes were considerably smaller, and black as the void. He looked mildly threatening, though you figured that was mostly due to his height. 

You don’t think anything could prepare you for his voice, however. 

“Human!” The tall skeleton’s voice was nasally and unreasonably loud for you having just woken up, “Sans said he had spoken to you, and that there is work to be done! If it is not too much trouble, can we come in?”

At least he was polite. You gave a tiny nod, placing the bat in your hand to lean against the wall before stepping to the side and opening the door for the two, “Uh, make yourselves at home. And excuse the mess. I uh, wasn’t expecting company.”

“No problem. Sorry to get in your _hair_ like this. I know it might have been a pretty _bed_ time for us to show up.” Sans grin widened as he looked you up and down. Your brows furrowed in confusion before you finally understood what he was alluding to. You tried to hide your blush as you glanced away from the skeleton, flattening out your unruly hair with the palm of your hand. 

“I’m uh, gonna go get dressed. I’ll be right back so uh. Yeah.” And with that you fled back to your bedroom, trying to control your reddening face and racing heart. Stupid skeletons. How did they even find your apartment in the first place!? You changed quickly into something a bit more presentable than your usual comfy clothing, running a comb through your hair. When you looked a bit more human, you returned to the living room. Sans was lounging on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table, and the tall skeleton was nowhere to be seen. 

“Where’s um…” You hesitated. 

“Papyrus.” Thankfully Sans was there to supply you with the answer. He continued, “Think he went to make us breakfast. You might want to go check up on him.” 

You were about to ask why exactly you’d have to, when a loud crash of pots clattering to the floor caused you to jump. You shot a half-hearted glare Sans’s way, who only shrugged as you turned to go see exactly what was going on in your kitchen. 

Papyrus was there, slaving away over a far too hot stove with pots and pans laying at his feet. On the stove there was what looked like very, very over cooked scrambled eggs. Spilt milk and eggshells were covering the countertop and your eye twitched. It looked like a tornado had gone through, and you were about to get angry when Papyrus noticed you, giving the brightest grin you had ever seen.

“Human! Are you coming to join me? It is always more fun to cook with a new friend!” He was practically beaming, continuing to stir the overcooked eggs with gusto as he spoke. 

Jeez, how could you ever be angry at someone like him? 

“Ah, yeah, I can help. I think that the eggs are about done.” You gave an awkward laugh, shutting off the stove before the burner before it decided to set fire, “Want to start making toast for us?”

“Of course! How could I forget something so crucial?” He put a hand over his chest in an exaggerated motion before starting his task. You got out three plates, splitting the eggs evenly (and trying your best to give the two of them the least burnt of them) and set them at the table. With the eggs and toast done, you grabbed the ketchup from your fridge and set it next to one of the plates. 

You were about to ask for Papyrus to get his brother from the living room when a low chuckle was heard from behind you, causing you to shriek in surprise. “F-Fuck!” You clutched your chest, trying to calm your heart as you glared at the skeleton over your shoulder. He definitely wasn’t there two seconds ago. 

Papyrus clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he took a seat, “Sans, you shouldn’t scare our new friend like that! It is very rude.”

Sans grin pulled into a smirk as he walked past you to take a seat next to his brother, “Sorry, bro, didn’t think it would get them so rattled.” The white lights in his eye sockets were on you as he waggled his brows. Papyrus let out an anguished groan at the pun.

They were both quite animated, as far as skeletons go, you noted as you sat down next to the two with a sigh, “Well bone boy, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Try not to sneak up on me like that next time.” You tried to sound stern, and he raised his arms in defense before reaching for the ketchup offered to him.

You ate in relative silence, instead listening to the brothers chat and bicker back and forth. Apparently Sans had an arsenal of puns for nearly any situation, much to Papyrus’s disapproval. In all honesty, neither one of them fit the usual gang member stereotypes, save for the sharp sense of style.

“So kid,” Sans started after the three of you had finished eating, “Me and my bro needed to talk to you about work. Got a few names for you to check out, make sure they’re not gonna turn on us the second they got it.”

It was surprising how fast Sans’s disposition could shift when it was time to get down to business. Guess there was a reason he was with W.D., no matter how he acted when he wasn’t on the clock.

“Am I allowed to ask a question?” You hesitated. You normally had a no questions asked policy, but this one… it was bigger than the normal stolen or smuggled object.

Sans and Papyrus glanced at one another before Sans nodded, “Sure, kid. Shoot.”

“If it’s such a dangerous thing in the wrong hands… why doesn’t your boss just keep it? Don’t souls make you guys stronger?” You bit the inside of your cheek, watching as Sans’s expression shifted from confusion and distrust, just briefly, before going back to his usual grin.

“Let’s just say the boss wants it outta his hands as fast as possible.” He left no room for further questions on the matter. 

You didn’t ask any more questions after that.


	3. I guess you're safer here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tired.
> 
> This week was so long.
> 
> Have a un-edited chapter to make up for it? :'D

The next week went by faster than you expected it to. Harriet came by the shop almost every day to chat, as usual, though you had to say you were relieved that she wasn't planning on needing your services until far after you were done working with Sans and W.D.

You had enough to think about.

Soon enough Friday rolled around without so much of a word from Sans. The sky was grey and the rain patting against the windows was the only thing to be heard in the shop. You sat behind the counter, reorganizing for maybe the third time that morning in hopes of relieving some of your nervous energy. The bell of the entrance chimed, and you glanced over to the front to see Harriet, soaked and holding a plastic bag.

"Love, you wouldn't believe how awful the rain is out there." She huffed, shaking herself off dramatically.

"You didn't have to come, you know. If I didn't know any better I'd say you actually wanted to hang out." You teased, earning a laugh as Harriet put the plastic bag on the countertop in front of you. Raising a brow her way, you peaked inside to see a box of 'Spider Donuts'. "You got breakfast?"

"Figured you'd want some." She winked, pulling open the box and taking one for herself, "Got 'em to share. Muffet makes the best food around, I think. Then again, I've never been one for baking."

You picked one out of the box, nibbling on it. It was delicious, with a spark of magic that coursed through you as it melted on your tongue. Aches you didn't even realize you had melted away and you smiled. Giving a hum of approval, you looked back to Harriet to see she was staring at you.

"What?"

"You like them? Wasn't sure if you'd like monster food or not." She admitted, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. 

"You kidding? I eat at Grillby's at least once a week. But I appreciate free food all the same." You gave an easy smile, finishing your donut before finally deciding to ask the question that has been nagging at you.

"Do you know if the deal with W.D. is still on? Sans hasn't contacted me in days. He hasn't even showed up at Grillby's, and he's usually there more than I am." You tried to keep your tone light, though it was quite clear there was a layer of concern in your voice.

Harriet's ears drooped, and she pursed her lips, as if trying to think of what to say. You waited patiently, and after a moment she let out a soft sigh. "Sans and the others have been busy. Things have gone to hell in a hand basket, love. Monster district has it even worse than here."

Your shop and apartment were both nestled between the heart of the city and the monster district, so hate crimes against monsters were common. Even worse, though, was the rising tension between the human and monster gangs. When you thought about it, it made quite a bit of sense why neither W.D. nor Sans had contacted you. 

Your brows furrowed together, a thought dawning on you, "Will you be alright? If things get too terrible there's always room for you at my place."

Maybe the two of you weren't the closest, but you didn't like the thought of her being stuck someplace dangerous by herself.

Her eyes widened in surprise, mouth falling slightly agape before she turned away, hiding her face behind her scarf, "Are you sure? Don't offer something like that if you don't mean it."

"I mean it, really," Giving a quick nod, you reached over the counter to put a hand on her shoulder, "I would hate to have something happen to you when there's a perfectly good guest bedroom at my place. Besides, that's what friends are for."

She smiled as honestly as you'd ever seen, "Thank you, love. I might take you up on that."

\---

Late that evening you went to Grillby's, smiling when the bartender greeted you with a polite bow, "Hey Grillby. What's on the menu?"

His flames flickered, a crackling chuckle leaving him as he pointed to the menu behind him. Fries and burgers, same as always. You were pretty sure that was the only thing Grillby knew how to cook. 

"Tough choice. I think I'll have the burger, then." You giggled, taking a seat at your usual spot. Before the fire elemental could nod, another voice spoke from beside you, causing you to jump in surprise.

"Make that two, Grillbz." You turned to see Sans giving a lazy smile in Grillby's direction. He glanced to you, giving a wink, "Sorry, kid. Didn't mean to scare you outta your skin."

Grillby let out a noise mirroring a sigh before leaving to get food for the two of you. 

"You gotta stop sneaking up on me like that. You're going to make me keel over one of these day." You huff out in complaint. Resting an elbow against the bar, he turned towards you as he spoke.

"Guess you could say I'm not for the _faint_ of heart." A wink.

"You're unbelievable." You manage to choke down your laughter, though you were still smiling. He chuckled softly, and you knew what was coming next.

"Nah, I'm Sans. Can't believe you forgot my name already, kid." You couldn't help the unattractive snort of laughter that followed his awful joke.

Grillby came back after a moment, placing the plates in front of the two of you, respectively. 

You chewed on your burger as silence fell between the two of you. Only the idle chatter of the other customers and the soft music of the jukebox filled the warm air. You stole a glance at Sans to see he was drinking from a ketchup bottle, burger completely untouched. After a long moment, he finally spoke.

"Boss is making preparations. Has a few potential buyers for you to look into," You looked over his way to see a forced smile on his skull. You could have sworn you saw a bead of sweat form on his brow, "We're short on men at the moment, so word travels slow."

You give a soft hum of reply, finishing your burger. "Alright."

He raised a brow bone, "Alright?"

"Mhm. Whatever is happening with you guys has to be pretty bad if both you and Harriet are acting strangely. The deal is still on, so I'll wait until I receive word of your boss's contacts." You shot him a grin and he visibly relaxed.

"Gotta say, kid, I'm glad to hear that. Boss would have my ass if you decided to back out now." He chuckled softly, taking another swig, "How's about this: you give me your number so I can get in touch with ya easier."

It was your turn to look skeptical, but it made sense. It was better him having a way to contact you than having to come for breakfast every time they had news for you. Digging your phone out of your pocket, you handed it it him with a grin, "Here. Just make sure to keep it work related, bone boy. I don't want you texting me awful jokes at all hours of the morning."

He typed his number into your phone, his grin widening as he handed it back to you, "That idea didn't even _dawn_ on me until you said it."

You couldn't help but smile. You decided that you liked Sans better when he wasn't working. His laid back demeanor was contagious, and he was honestly funny, if only for the fact his jokes were so awful. You wanted to chat longer, but the night was ebbing into the early morning, and you knew better than to stay out any later.

"Well, it was nice talking to ya, Sans. Text me once you know anything." You stood up, stretching your arms over your head before reaching for your wallet. He waved you off, earning a look of confusion.

"I got it. Thing of it as thanks for being so nice to my brother before." He gave an easy smile, chin resting in his palm as he winked at you. 

"Seriously! You don't have to, really..." You voice trailed off, though wanted so badly to accept his offer. You were pretty sure he could tell. He just laughed, waving you off again.

"Go on, kid. I'll talk to ya later."

You were practically beaming as you gave a final wave, "Thanks Sans, really."

You gave a quick goodbye to Grillby, who looked a bit disgusted with Sans, though didn't show any indication as to why he would. The two were close friends, so maybe you would never know. 

As you exited the bar and stepped into the dim light of the city streets, you were oblivious to figures watching you from the distance.


	4. I guess things are fine?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another un-edited chapter. Let me know if there are any glaring mistakes or inconsistencies! 
> 
> Also feel free to comment what you want to see in the story. I can't guarantee it'll make it in, but I'm always happy to hear some ideas~
> 
> (Things will pick up soon, too. Archive warnings and tags will change because things get intense fast. Just a word of warning~)

The air around you was cool and damp from the rain that passed through earlier that day. Despite the late hour, you were left feeling wide awake thanks to the chill against your face.

You made it home within an hour to see Harriet crashed on the couch, television still on. With a soft smile, you pulled the throw blanket over her before heading to bed yourself.

As you laid your head on the pillow, your thoughts wandered to Sans. His jokes were awful, but despite his ability to be very serious when he time called for it, he was pleasant to be around. At least more so than your other clients you've had the pleasure of dealing with.

Maybe when this was all said and done, the two of you could keep in touch. You smiled as you drifted to sleep.

\---

Harriet was still there when you woke, making herself coffee and offering a tired smile, "Morning, love. Hope you don't mind me helping myself to coffee."

"Not at all, s'long as you make me a cup too." You mumbled, wiping the sleep from your eyes as you jumped up to sit on the countertop, phone resting next to you. She worked with the same amount of grace she always did, asking your preference on sugar and cream before sliding the mug next to you. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

She raised a brow, her ears perking up slightly, "Sure thing, love, but I might now have the answer." Her lips turned up into a smile as she sipped her own coffee.

"How did you get involved with W.D.'s gang?"

She didn't seem at all surprised by the question, simply glancing your way before setting her mug back down, "Lots of us are. W.D. And his men protect the monster district better than any police force ever has. I don't work with him too often, though. Mostly when he needs my special talents, much like yourself." She gave a small shrug, "Course, I wouldn't mind working for him full time, but I have my own projects. Wouldn't have the time to steal fun stuff."

You gave a small, understanding nod.

"My turn," she grinned, "Why a fence? You hardly seem like the life of crime type, love. No offense, of course." 

You tensed slightly. She had a point. Growing up you had always been on the other side of the law, living as an honest citizen and never stealing a day in your life. Gods, if your parents saw you now--

You snapped out of your memories with a shake of the head. "It's quite a tale. Maybe I'll let you know eventually."

"I see. You have to keep your mysterious past to yourself, love? Adds to your charm, right?" Harriet snickered, earning an eye roll in return.

"Oh shut up!" You laughed, though were grateful that she was considerate enough to drop the subject. Maybe you would tell her some day, but it was best to do so later.

Jumping down from the counter, you stretched your arms over your head with an exaggerated yawn. The store should be opened soon, and a sense of dread filled you. It was about time for the whole place to be cleaned and reorganized, having your collection be rotated to keep things interesting. Besides, you had a few things you actually wanted to get rid of, and needed space to display them. It would be a lot for just one person...

A wicked smile pulled on your lips as you looked to Harriet, who was oblivious to the idea stirring in your head.

"So I've been thinking," you started, unable to help the sly smirk on your face. She raised a brow, but remained quiet, letting you continue, "I really shouldn't be letting you stay here for nothing at all. An eye for an eye, it's how people like us stay in business."

She rolled her eyes, her smile nearly matching your own. Of course she wouldn't buy your 'I need payment' shtick, but at least she was kind enough to play along. 

"How about you help me in the store in exchange? No rent, no need to pay for food, just for a little manual labor?"

"Why do I have a feeling you set me up, love?" She shoved your shoulder gently, laughing all the while.

"C'mon, I really could use the help." You dropped the act in favor of puppy dog eyes, and that seemed to be far more effective.

"Fine, fine, but don't get used to it, love."

\---

Turns out you did get used to having her help around the shop, and rather quickly. She was a fast learner, and quick to pick up on how you chose to do things. The next few days went by without a hitch, with Sans texting you on occasion about the job.

By the end of the next week you had gotten a list of possible buyers.

You settled on approaching the spider baker Muffet first and foremost. Harriet had spoke nothing but good things about her, and it was as good a place to try as any.

Harriet offered to keep the shop up and running while you were away, and given how slow things usually were, you had no inclination to argue. With a quick parting, you left for the monster bakery.

The building was near the center of the monster district, about a fifteen minute walk from where Grillby's was located. It looked like the others in the area, large brick structures towering over the narrow streets the windows were slightly tinted, with spider webs and curtains decorating them. Swallowing your nervousness, you pushed open the door.

The lighting was dim, candles hanging on the wall and placed on the tables being the main source of light in the small shop. The walls were a rose color, and spider webs absolutely covered the place. A shiver rolled down your spine as a spider dropped to dangle in front of your face.

"H-hello." You greeted it with a tiny smile, and it scurried back up the thread it came from. A small giggle from the other side of the room caught your attention, and you have a sheepish smile.

In front of you was the spider monster herself. Her pale purple skin contrasted against her dark hair and red uniform. Her five eyes were all trained on you in amused curiosity and you couldn't help but feel vulnerable under her gaze.

"Ahuhu! Hello, dearie." She giggled again, one of her hands motioning for you to come forward as two others folded in front of her. You did as she wanted, being mindful not to walk into any webs or step on anything, and the look she gave bordered on impressed, "It's rare to see a human walk in so unafraid. What can I do for you?"

"I am here on business. W.D.'s business." You spoke in a hushed tone, and her eyes seemed to sparkle.

"It's surprising to see him working with a human. Why should I believe you, dearie?" She toyed, leaning forward just enough that you wanted to back away. Wanted to, but didn't.

"I have something that might be interested in. Sans tells me that you're in the market for a human soul."

Her eyes narrow as she examines you, "What is your price, dearie?"

"A million gold. W.D. said gold specifically. No human currency." You took a small step back, watching as she gave the offer thought.

"Of course he would want gold." She huffed indignantly, "But a soul is a once in a lifetime ingredient. It could make so many monsters very happy."

You didn't want to stomach the idea of eating another person's soul, but you remained silent. After a long moment she finally gave a nod, holding out one of her hands for you to shake, "It is a deal. Please contact W.D. and tell him I'd be more than happy to take it off of him."

You fought hard to keep your grinning to a minimum as you shook Muffet's hand. It was done. Now was the transaction, which would be the most difficult part, and then your job was done.

"I will have you contacted with the transaction details by tomorrow. Thank you for your business, Muffet." You smiled, offering a wave before turning on your heels to leave. 

The walk back to your shop was a quiet one, but through the excitement of a job well done you couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

As if you were being watched as you made your way down the quiet streets.


	5. I guess Papyrus can hold his own?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so shit hasn't hit the fan yet. This chapter ended up way longer than anticipated so I split it in two. I hope that no one minds too much!
> 
> As always, comments are greatly appreciated. :3c

"You're kidding me."

"Oh come on, bone head. For someone who came to me you'd think you'd have a little more faith faith in my abilities." You snickered into the phone, lounging back into your chair as you spoke. You and Harriet were both in your shop, with the mouse monster rearranging a few shelves as she quite obviously eavesdropped on your conversation.

"When Harriet said you worked fast she wasn't kidding. I'll get in touch with Muffet. Keep your phone on you." And with that the line went dead. You gave a soft huff at the lack of goodbye, shoving your phone back in your pocket before facing Harriet, who looked more than a little amused, "What's with that look?"

"Well it sounded like you managed to impress one of W.D.'s boys. Gotta say I'm proud of you, love." She stepped behind the counter, slinging an arm around your shoulder as she sighed dramatically, "Just don't be leaving me in the dust now that you're making your way up the ranks. I don't know what I'd do without you!"

You sniggered, gently shoving her away, "You'd have to find someone else to cash in on all those strange things you manage to 'find'."

"Exactly! We couldn't have that. Now, how about we go to Grillby's tonight to celebrate? It'll be on me!" Her ears perked as she gave you a wide grin. It was hard to say no to a face like that.

"Alright, alright. But Sans said to keep my phone on me."

"Alright, so more drinks for me!"

\---

Grillby's was packed, as usual. The dogs were barking happily over their game of poker as the toothy flower and rabbit monster gossiped on. A few patrons waved as the two of you made your way to the bar.

Grillby's flames flickered as he set his eyes on you, gesturing to the bottles of alcohol behind him. 

"I'll have a beer." You said without missing a beat, as you sat down at your usual spot. 

Harriet took the seat next to you, "Something strong and sweet for me. Thank you, love." 

With a small nod and a bow he went to get prepare your drinks. You huffed out a small sigh, glancing at your phone yet again. It had been a few hours and there wasn't any news from either Sans or Muffet. You would be irritated if it was just another human client, but you understood the fact that monsters weren't in a good spot right now, no matter which side of the law they were on.

"Already zoning out, love?" Harriet chided, giving you a soft pat on the back, "Has Sans been working you too hard?"

"Yeah, he's been working me down to the bone." 

She looked almost offended, "Now you're sounding like him. You know how many times we've all heard that one? Too damn many, that's how."

With your drinks arriving the two of you continued to chat about seemingly trivial things in comparison. What the two of you would make for dinner, whether Harriet was staying for longer than originally intended (though with how well she handled the shop you wouldn't have minded.)

After you polished off your first drink the phone in your pocket vibrated. An unknown number with a address. A few seconds later there was another message. 

_ASAP._

"Well, looks like I'm back on the clock." You breathed out a long sigh, giving an apologetic look to Harriet. Giggling softly, she waved you off.

"Stay safe, I don't want to be opening for you tomorrow if I can avoid it."

Ah, friendship.

With a wave you exited the bar, trying to map out where the hell he wanted you to go. It looked to be about a twenty minute walk, maybe less if you ran. With another sigh you went on your way, thankful for the mild weather helping you on your way.

You eventually reached your destination, part of a run down complex that looked like it had been the victim to arson at one point or another. Sans was there, as was Papyrus. They both looked tense, but the later seemed to relax slightly upon spotting you. You giggled as the tall skeleton gave an enthusiastic wave. He was always so kind, almost child like. You had no idea how someone like that would get tangled up in crime. 

"Hello, Papyrus. Sans." Offering a smile to the two, you glanced around. "Not uh, planning on murdering me out here or anything, eh?"

Sans actually snorted at that, shaking his head a bit, "Guess the plan's off, bro, she got us."

"I do not understand, brother." Papyrus frowned at his brother, "Boss had said specifically that we need to remain in touch with our new human friend! We could not hurt her!"

You glanced Sans's way, who shrugged, "Ya caught me. Boss thinks you're pretty valuable to keep around. But we did bring you here for a better reason than to tell ya that. Papyrus, keep watch."

Papyrus gave a firm nod, reaching into his jacket to pull out... A gun?! The familiar glint of black polished metal caught your eye, and Papyrus seemed to notice your staring. "Do not worry, human. I will only shoot if I need to!"

You gave a small nod, still a bit bewildered that the skeleton even knew how to work a gun, let alone hold it with such confidence and authority. Sans cleared his throat, catching your attention.

He moved his hand to the side, and your blood froze. The air by his hand quivered, as if you were looking at it through water, and in an instant it looked like the world itself was torn open. Inside the tear was darker than anything you had ever seen, fading into something reminiscent of static by the edges, before returning to the world you were familiar with, be it a tad distorted. You almost screamed, but in an instant it was gone, the world returning to normal as if nothing had happened in the first place.

The only evidence of it was in Sans's hand. A glass container was in his grip, only a small bit larger than your hand in size. A faint light pulsed from within it, and you gasped as the source of the light came into focus. 

A soul.

It was a crystalline heart, dull yellow in color and only just smaller than the container it was held it. The longer you stared, the more you noticed cracks fracturing throughout the entire heart. It looked like it was broken glass, barely being held together by some invisible force, and your heart plummeted. 

That's what a soul looks like after death. 

You looked up to Sans, who's smile looked forced and just as uncomfortable as the sudden realization made you feel.

"Muffet'll be expecting it tomorrow. Getting it to her in the day will cause less suspicion." The lights in his eye sockets looked at the soul, then to you, "Can't say I won't be happy getting this headache off our hands."

"I could say the same." You held out your hands, letting them curl around the container as it was handed to you. It was lighter than you expected, and cool to the touch. You felt a bit better with that. 

"We in the clear, bro?" Sans glanced at Papyrus, who was still standing guard. He turned back to face the two of you, his usual goofy grin completely gone as he nodded.

"Uh..." You shifted awkwardly, "So how am I supposed to walk this home with me?"

"Don't worry, I know a shortcut." Sans winked at you before turning his attention back to Papyrus, "Meet you at home, bro?" 

"Of course! It was nice seeing you again, human. Perhaps next time we meet you can have more of my excellent cooking!" He beamed, all seriousness from before gone without a trace. 

"Sure, Papyrus, I'd like that." You managed an honest enough smile, and he seemed content with that. He held his head high as he marched down the street, turning a corner and disappearing out of sight. 

"Do you worry about him?" You asked Sans, voice barely above a whisper.

"He's an adult, can hold his own if need be. Wouldn't have had him on lookout if that wasn't the case." He said with a shrug, though his smile softened, "He's always been like that, though. Even after we started doing this business together it didn't change. Heh... My bro's pretty cool, huh?" 

You hummed thoughtfully. To be exposed to so much hatred, gang wars and violence and still be able to smile and treat others, especially humans with such honest kindness... "He's the coolest."

Sans smile only grew, the corners of his eye sockets crinkling slightly, "Yeah. Now let's get you home. Its pretty cold out here and I'd hate for you to be chilled to the bone."

"That was awful so I'm going to ignore it." You said with a snort of amusement, "So what sort of short cut are we talking? Because I don't think a half hour jog to my place would fly very well with a soul in my arms." You gestured to the glass case still cradled to your chest.

He chuckled, his arm raising to the side like it had earlier. In an instant there was another tear, larger this time. "Grab hold of me. I promise it won't hurt a bit." Another wink.

"You sound like a serial killer." You said, eyes narrowing as he laughed.

"I've been told I'm a killer with the ladies. Now c'mon, kid, have a little faith." He offered a hand to you, making no move to force you through this... Portal with him. After a long moment you finally relented, taking hold of his hand. You let out a squeak as he pulled you closer, leading you through the portal into the vast darkness. 

When you stepped through the tear closed behind you, causing a lurching feeling to go through your chest as you gripped onto Sans's hand tighter. In an instant the feeling was gone, and when you opened your eyes (when had you squeezed them shut?) you were in your apartment's living room. Your legs felt like pudding, and you struggled to keep yourself from getting sick right then and there. 

After a moment of composing yourself you finally managed to gasp out, "What was that!?"

"Magic." He wiggled his fingers, a shit-eating grin on his face. Your expression soured, obviously not liking the vague answer. 

"Heh. How about I explain over lunch tomorrow? Since you'll be in the area and all." 

You thought about it a moment before giving a nod. "Yeah, that actually doesn't sound too bad. Any time you want to meet up?" You set the soul container on your coffee table, making a mental note to stash it away somewhere safe when Sans had left. 

The skeleton gave a noncommittal shrug, chuckling softly, "Just text when you're done at Muffet's. I know a few shortcuts over there."

"You just want to show off your _magic_ some more." You wiggled your fingers in a mocking gesture, earning another laugh from the skeleton.

"Caught me red handed. I'll see ya tomorrow, kid." And with one final wink he was gone in an instant, moving through a tear almost too fast for you to see.

Stupid show off.

You were kicking off your shoes when you heard the doorknob of your apartment jiggle, before finally clicking open and you froze. Still on the coffee table was the soul container. But it was to late to step into action, as Harriet had already made it through the door, mumbling a soft 'I'm home' before stopping dead in her tracks. Her wide eyes darted from you, to the soul, then back.

Her voice was a hushed whisper as she stood in the doorway, "Damn. You weren't kidding about this being big, love."

"I won't tell if you don't?" You offered, a nervous smile plastered on your features. 

"Deal."


	6. I guess it's over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dates and disaster.   
> Updated tags as well!

It was early in the afternoon when you made your way to Muffet's. You had the soul tucked away inside your bag, though the more people that passed you the more tense you became. It was illogical, really, seeing as there was no way any stranger could see what you were carrying with you, let alone know what it was, but you still fretted about it.

Muffet was, for lack of better words, ecstatic to see you walk into her bakery. She lifted two of her arms, urging you to follow her to the back room. You ducked under a few spider webs as she chattered on happily.

"Oh dearie, you have no idea how excited I am to see you. The next batch of pastries are going to be wonderful! And of course with that will bring in more money to house both monster and feral spiders." She allowed the door to swing shut behind the two of you before she looked at you expectantly.

You unzipped the bag, reaching in to carefully pull out the soul. Muffet gasped, eyes sparkling as she looked the container over.

"Interesting! You don't see many souls this color. Though it does look a bit soiled, right in the center there." She tapped the glass, referring to the duller color the crystal heart had towards the center of it, "Still completely usable though, and worth every penny. Ahuhuhu~"

She took the item from your hands, placing it on the counter before picking up a few boxes of what looked like cookies. "For you, dearie!"

You balked, visibly surprised by the spider woman's generosity. Didn't she just say she needed money? "What? Oh you don't have to."

"Nonsense! You have been nothing but polite, and even are respectful to my spiders. It is the least I can do." She handed you the boxes and you smiled.

"Thanks. I wish you the best in your uh, soul baking." You cringed at the awful word choice, but she just seemed amused, "I'm sure my friend'll be over to try them sometime."

"Oh, I look forward to that, dearie!"

You stuffed the cookies into your bag, offering a few spiders a small smile as you made your way out of the shop. When you were back on the street you unlocked your phone, shooting Sans a quick text.

Honestly, you weren't exactly sure why you were meeting him for lunch. There wasn't much more business to be done as far as you knew, other than your cut of the payment, which was going to be waiting in your account within the next few days. A small, optimistic part of you was hoping that Sans enjoyed chatting with you as much as you did him. You honestly were hoping to become better friends with both him and Papyrus. You were pulled from your thoughts as the air pulled apart in front of you, and Sans stepped out from the tear before it snapped shut behind him. You looked around, noticing that no one had even turned an eye at the sight. 

Monsters were, admittedly, a bit strange sometimes.

"Hey." Sans gave a lazy smile. It was then that you realized what he was wearing. Instead of his usual sharp fashion, he was wearing a blue fur lined sweatshirt, a tee, and gym shorts. And to top it all off he was wearing fuzzy pink slippers to boot (hah.)

You grinned, raising a brow, "Slippers? Did you forget to dress yourself this morning or something, bone boy?"

"Hey, it's casual Friday." He deadpanned, the light in his eye sockets locking with your eyes playfully.

"It's a Wednesday." You giggled, rolling your eyes before continuing, "So where are we headed, anyways? Someplace we gotta use those cool shortcuts to get to?" 

"Not this time, kiddo. C'mon, it's not far." He started walking, and you followed close behind, taking a few quick steps to walk next to him. 

"So," you started, shoving your hands in your pockets as you walked, "I was wondering if you and Papyrus wanted to come over some time. He seemed pretty excited at the idea of cooking together. Gotta say, with a smile like that it's hard to say no to him." 

"Just be glad ya don't live with him. Makes it hard to keep him out of trouble." Sans smiled softly, as if recalling a fond memory. You hummed in reply.

"I suppose, but how much trouble could a guy like that get into?"

"Once he brought home ten kittens." Sans said, his face void of any joke. You couldn't help but laugh, lifting a hand to your face to try and stifle it.

"That, uh, does sound like trouble." You snickered, and Sans followed suit, a low laugh rumbling in his chest as he shook his head.

"Heh. You could say that again. But uh, yeah, we could try and find the time. If you don't mind having a couple of boneheads around." He rapped his knuckles against the top of his head for emphasis.

"Course not. You guys are great. Not what I expected when I got this job, gotta say, but you really are." Glancing over, you could have sworn you saw blue dusting across Sans cheekbones, but your attention was immediately drawn away as he turned sharply, gesturing to a small shop. In the windows were lines of beautiful looking cakes and treats, and your smile widened. As much as you liked spider pastries, there was nothing quite like a good old fashioned cake.

"C'mon, kid. Staring is great and all, but I know they'd taste even better." He chuckled, and your cheeks grew a tinge warmer in embarrassment. The two of you made your way inside, being greeted by a kind looking rabbit monster.

"Howdy! What can I do ya for, Sans?" She smiled your way, "And who's the darling human? Haven't seen her around before."

You introduced yourself with a small smile, eyes slowly tracing their way back over to the cakes that had caught your eyes before. The rabbit woman crossed her arms, giving a knowing grin, "What'll ya like, sweetie? I assume this handsome bag of bones is takin' you out?"

You flushed at the assumption, shooting a glance towards Sans before giving the rabbit a shy smile, "Something like that. Can I have a slice of strawberry cheesecake?" 

She winked, "Sure thing, sweetie. And you, Sans?"

"Give me the best tastin' thing ya got. For my friend here, of course." You couldn't help but giggle slightly at the way he stressed 'friend' a little defensively. The rabbit just hummed in reply, obviously not quite buying it, and a minute later you and Sans had sat at one of the tables with two slices of cake between you.

Sans was the first to speak, his chin propped up on his hand, watching as you took a bite of cheesecake. "So, you close your odd shop down today?"

"Harriet's in charge today. I swear I'm gonna need to start paying her at this rate." You took another bite, humming happily at the rich taste and magic spark that danced across your tongue.

"She's a good kid. An odd one, but good." He chuckled, using a fork to pick at his own cake, "I heard she's stayin' with you?"

"Mhm. I figured... The area I live in is safer than around here right now," you gestured out the window, "and she's a friend, y'know? I had room for her, so I figured it wouldn't hurt. Plus it keeps her nose clean."

"Doesn't matter that she's a monster? You know what it means for you bein' open about friendships with us." The look in Sans's eyes was almost challenging, as if expecting you to say you regretted it.

"Human, monster, it's all the same to me. Though I can't say I've ever met a monster I didn't get along with. Honestly, what you guys are being put through by humans... It's not all that fair." You thought on that for a moment, glancing away. What you missed was the look of surprise that wormed its way onto Sans's face as you spoke.

The two of you continued to chat as you finished your own cake, stealing some of his as well. You couldn't help your excitement as you stepped back out into the city street.

"So am I gonna get another magic demonstration?" You raised a brow, crossing your arms as you stated the skeleton down.

"Alright kid, how 'bout we take a short cut back to your place?" Sans smirked slightly, holding out his hand for you to take. You took it without hesitation, allowing yourself to be pulled closer. You felt a hand, bony and strong press to the small of your back as he winked, "Hold on. I'd like to a- _void_ losing you."

You just giggled softly, not having much of a chance to reply before the two of you were pulled through a tear. You held on tightly, covering into Sans before you were finally back into the world as you knew it.

But something was very, very wrong.

The first thing you noticed was the heat and the noise, uncomfortable warmth soaking through your clothes as sirens rang around you. Sans sucked in a breath through his teeth, keeping you held tight to him as he took a few stumbling steps backwards. "Holy shit..."

"Sans, what's-!?" You tried to push at him, to understand what was going on. You heard a few shouts as you managed to escape his grasp, turning in the direction of the heat.

Your heart plummeted.

Your shop, the building you cared for, the collection you had kept for so many years was completely engulfed in violent flames. The front windows looked to be shattered from the heat and the roof and second story had caved in, leaving it a nearly unrecognizable pile of rubble. How much did you have in that shop? Thousands of dollars worth of goods. Irreplaceable items. Stuff that you had kept from Harriet's elaborate heists.

Oh god.

A strangled noise escaped you as you turned to Sans, a look of horror on your face. You didn't need to speak, he knew. 

Harriet.

You sprinted towards a police officer that was watching the scene, words coming out in hysteric gasps, "My friend was in there! A mouse monster! Has anyone seen her!?" She had to have gotten out, right?! She was quick, she must have known something was up and was able to get out!

The officer gave you a look of pity, shaking his head, "By the time we arrived the upper story had already collapsed. If your friend was in there... There was nothing we could have done to save her."

No.

God no.

You shut down, your entire body numb even as Sans put a gentle arm around you. He was speaking to the officer, but you didn't hear. Your friend was gone. You had left and she was killed because of it. Was this your fault? A blanket was wrapped around you as you were gently led away from the burning building.

For the first time, you regretted getting involved with monsters... 

Maybe then this wouldn't have happened.


	7. I guess this is a new start?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kinda blah for me to write, and I had to leave it off in a strange place because I felt it was dragging on too much.
> 
> If you are liking this story and want to see a specific scenario in the future let me know! I kinda feel like I'm just screaming into the void at this point haha :'D

You went to Harriet's memorial the next week.

At the end of the day, there was no way to distinguish her dust from the rest of the ashes that once was your shop. You didn't know much about monster customs or funerals, but you knew it was hard for everyone involved that her dust wasn't able to be spread. Instead it was getting scraped up and thrown out with the rest of the rubble at the orders of the city. The thought made you sick to your stomach.

You didn't speak to anyone, just watching and listening as others far closer to your friend cried over how she would be missed. No one said it, but you could feel their glances. 

It was your fault. 

You took a cab back to your apartment, your heart heavy from everything that had happened. You wanted a place to escape, just for a moment, but even as you stepped into your apartment you were haunted by how quiet it was. You should be used to it. You lived alone for so long, but the fact that she wasn't there when she should have been was painful.

You pulled the throw blanket over your shoulders as you curled up on the couch, losing yourself in your own thoughts. Memories of that day. 

Sans had teleported you home after your initial shock had waned. He had said something about needing to figure things out before leaving you alone. You couldn't remember how long you sobbed for... Maybe that's why now you couldn't bring yourself to shed any more tears?

Your phone vibrating on the table broke the heavy silence, but you chose to ignore it. There was no way in hell you were talking to anyone right now.

Another vibration. 

Silence.

And then you were startled by furious knocking at your door. You groaned as you scrubbed your face with your sleeve, unable to even be bothered about whether it was the cops or the devil himself at your door. Reluctantly, you got up and headed for the door anyways. 

If nothing else you could tell whoever it was to fuck off so you wouldn't have to deal with it.

A voice rang out before you could even look through the peep hole, "Human! We know you are in there, please open the door!"

You cringed. The last people you wanted to see you like this was Papyrus and Sans. You opened the door a crack, hiding behind the solid wood as you spoke, "Listen guys, I want to be left alone. My job is done so just... Leave."

You shut the door as Papyrus started his defense, sinking down to your knees with a watery sigh. There was no reason for them to be here. You wanted to be alone. You _deserved_ to be alone. Hiding your face in your arms, you let a small sniffle escape you, ignoring the voices coming from behind the door.

The air around you shifted, a vaguely familiar electric feeling causing the hair on your arms to raise. When you glanced up you were greeted by two skeletons. Papyrus had a mixture of worry and sadness on his face as he crouched in front of you, offering a hand. Sans was leaning against a wall as he watched you, expression unreadable.

"Human, you shouldn't be alone. We have something important to tell you." Papyrus said with a sad smile, hand still outstretched.

With a small sigh, you grasped it, allowing yourself to be pulled back to your feet in a fluid motion. Papyrus was a lot stronger than he looked. You brushed off the thought, glancing between the two of them, "What's so important, then...?" 

A beat of silence.

Papyrus cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing to Sans. The air was tense as the shorter skeleton approached, his hands shoved in his pockets and the lights in his eyes completely gone. 

"The fire wasn't an accident." He said slowly, as if gauging your reaction before continuing. Honestly, it wasn't much of a surprise, and you gave a small nod for him to continue.  
"You're in danger. We think they were after you, not Harriet."

You looked down at the floor in front of you, unable to meet their gazes. "So all this was because of me? I don't... I don't get it. Couldn't it have just been an accident? That's what the police had said..." Your voice was soft, hollow even.

"Accident my coccyx." Sans's eyes narrowed, "We have reason to believe that they're not done. You need to leave."

"Please do not think what happened is your fault, dear human. You are very kind, and would never put another in harms way." Papyrus put his large hands on your shoulders, eye sockets staring down at you with such honest kindness that you nearly broke down again. 

You looked away, chewing at your lower lip, "I don't have anywhere else to go. I can't just up and leave the city..." There were too many memories here. Too many friends and contacts that would be lost. Papyrus pulled you into a crushing hug then, earning a small gasp as you stumbled to keep your balance.

"Human, that is why we would like you to come with us! Our boss has told us that you are very welcome while you are hiding from the terrible humans." He released you with a firm nod, his brow bones drawn together in a serious expression, "You'll be safe with us."

Sans spoke next, a smile on his face, though it looked more forced than the easy going ones that you had seen on him, "My bro's right. No need for you to keep being a sitting duck, especially when we're dealing with humans this _fowl_."

...

Papyrus groaned, slapping a hand over his eyes in angst, "Sans, can't you see that the human is in emotional turmoil! You cannot pester her with your terrible puns at a time like this!" 

You watched the two, a watery giggle escaping you. Papyrus looked at you in horror, and Sans grin softened.

"I dunno, bro. Looks like she's quacking up." He wiggled his brows your way, and you gave an ugly sounding snort. "I don't think I can stop now, feather you like it or not."

"SANS!!"

If they wanted to try and cheer you up, it seemed to have done the trick. You laughed, louder than before as the two of them looked to you.

God, look at you. 

Your friend is dead and you're sitting here laughing. 

You don't deserve this.

Within moments your laughter turned to hiccups, which turned to hysterical sounding sobs. You didn't see the glance that they gave one another, but you were quickly pulled back into the embrace of Papyrus. Unlike before, you raised your arms to hold him as tight as you could, his jacket muffling your cries.

Another hand was on your shoulder, a fleeting touch but meaningful all the same. It took a moment for you to calm back down, though even as your sobs ceased you continued to hold onto Papyrus. 

"I'm going to miss her so much." You sniffled into his chest, voice hoarse from the crying you had done. Papyrus gave a noise of reply, carefully running his hand up and down your back, as if he were petting a cat.

"We know, kid. We're gonna miss her too." Sans voice behind you was soft as he gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go. Embarrassment slowly crept up your spine, and you pulled away from Papyrus with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry for breaking down like that. It's uh..." You trailed off, unsure how else to brush off the fit of tears you just made them witness. Papyrus didn't seem to mind at all.

"Please do not apologize human. Being here in your time of need is what friends are there for!" 

Yeah. Friends.

You liked the sound of that.

Taking a minute to compose yourself, you glanced Sans way, "So when are we leaving?" 

There was no reason for you to stay in the apartment when you no longer had a job or your collection. If they could give you a place to go then so be it.

Sans heaved a soft sigh of relief, digging in his jacket pocket a moment before pulling out a cell phone. "I'd say you got about a half hour give or take."

"Sounds perfect."

\---

You managed to get most of you essential items in two suitcases. Sans had assured you that you could come back any time to pick things up, but you had no reason to. All of your personal belongings were lost to the fire. So long as you had clothes and your laptop, you were satisfied.

The three of you had been picked up by a shady looking monster in a black SUV, and as you and the brothers rode to their base of operations in silence you traced the path you were taking in your mind. 

The monster district was more of a disaster the farther in you went. Buildings destroyed, boarded up windows and empty streets causing a shiver to roll down your spine. Of course the city wouldn't put a dime towards fixing the part of town. 

It would only be destroyed again in time, you thought bitterly. 

Humans truly were awful sometimes.

When you stopped, you were in front of a few large looking warehouses, seemingly untouched by the destruction of the neighboring houses and businesses. 

"Tralala~ We are here!" The hooded monster sang happily, and Sans gave you a grin.

"Paps is gonna get your stuff to where you'll be staying, but boss said to bring you to him right away. Wouldn't want to make him angry, y'know." Sans shrugged before giving you a wink, "Ready to meet W.D. in the flesh?"

You swallowed hard. 

"As ready as I'll ever be."


	8. I guess W.D. isn't that bad?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting into it! More drama, more action, more skeleton romance! (Though it'll be quite a while before the romancing actually happens. ovo;; )
> 
> Also thank you to everyone who left comments last chapter! They give me so much more drive to continue~
> 
> (P.S. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to have this story have Dadster or morally ambiguous/evil Gaster. But I'm a slut for Dadster so that's what I decided on :'3)

You followed Sans lead through the entrance to the warehouse. Inside was far cozier than you expected, with a few mismatched couches and chairs circling a large coffee table that was riddled with papers and the shining cases of ammunition. A few doors were on the far wall, blocking off another section of the warehouse, but you weren't heading in that direction. Instead you were led up the stairs that sat flushed to the side of the building. They trailed up to a medium sized loft area, with a closed off room taking up most of the space. Perhaps before the monsters made this their hideout, that would have been where supervisors watched over those working on the ground floor. But now, of course, it had to be W.D.'s office.

A fish woman with vermillion hair and an eye patch stopped the two of you from entering, standing in front of the door as she gave a menacing grin, "'Sup, punk? This the human you were talking about?" The slit that made up her pupil looked you up and down, "huh...She looks like a weenie. You sure she isn't gonna be more trouble than she's worth, Sans?"

Your face colored slightly in embarrassment, but as you opened your mouth to retort, Sans cut you off.

"The human that just got a million gold pieces from the cheapest monster in the city. Havin' another human around'll only make our jobs easier."

She gave a disapproving snort, shoving your shoulder as she made her way past you, "Just keep her in check."

Neither you nor Sans spoke, simply watching until she was down the stairs and far out of hearing range. 

"She's... Friendly." Your eyes narrowed, lips pursing into a irritated pout. Seriously, what was her problem?!

"That's Undyne. Don't take it too personally. She's pretty strong and opinionated, but not a bad kid." The light in his eyes darted back to you, "Welp. Better not keep the boss waiting any longer."

You gave a small nod, turning to the wooden door to his office. Anxiety wracked your brain as Sans held the door, allowing the two of you in before shutting it behind the two of you.

The room was rather dark, save for a ceiling light that illuminated it in a soft white glow. The walls were lined in book cases and filing cabinets, save for one that had a large tinted window onlooking the rest of the building. Directly in front of that was a very large desk, filled with papers and books of all sorts, in some sort of organized chaos. What really caught your attention, though, was the man sitting at it.

He was slender, dressed in a sleek black jacket and white turtleneck. His hands were folded, resting on top of the papers in front of him. They seemed to have holes in them, as if perfect circles had been carved through his palms. His face was the most striking. He was a skeleton, like Sans and Papyrus, though the smooth bone of his face had deep cracks, one going from his left eye socket up to his forehead, and another from his right socket down to his mouth. 

The pinpricks of light in his eye sockets met yours, and he gave a soft smile before turning his attention to Sans.

"Ah, hello Sans. I am to assume this is the human?"

Sans put a hand on your shoulder, coaxing you forward slightly as he spoke, "Hey Pops. This is the kid. She's been dyin' to meet ya."

Wait a second... Pops? Was Sans W.D.'s son?

"Of course. It is nice to meet you. I am sure you've heard all about me." W.D. chuckled softly, his voice light.

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you, W.D. sir." You stammered out, lowering your head slightly.

The skeleton gave another soft laugh, standing up from his seat and offering a small bow of his own, "Please, no need for such formalities here. You may call me Gaster." Standing up straight he gave Sans a nod, "Now, I suppose there is some discussion to be done. If you wouldn't mind, Sans, I would like a word with our guest alone."

Your blood ran cold. Gaster was pleasant enough, but he was still a mob boss, and a powerful one. The idea of being alone with him was nerve wracking at best, and you shot Sans a panicked glance. His grin was soft, reassuring as he gave you a small pat on the shoulder.

"Huess that means I'm on break. Don't get too bonely without me, alright kid?" He winked before trudging out of the office, the door clicking shut behind him.

...

Clearing your throat, you tried your best to hide your nervousness, but by the way Gaster was watching you, with a sense of amusement and concern, you weren't getting very far.

"I suppose you are wondering what happened to your friend. Sans has told you what I believe, yes?" He spoke softly, stepping around the desk to meet you face to face. He was just a touch shorter than Papyrus, but still managed to tower over you. 

You gave a nod, "He said it... Wasn't an accident. That for some reason there are people after me."

"That is correct. You must be aware, our gang is on the cusp of war with the humans." He frowned slightly, folding his hands in front of him, "There are already high tensions between us and the humans from the heart of the city. They are in control here, of the police force and the government. If we were to go to war now, it would not end well... It is a shame, but it is the hand that we have been dealt."

You furrowed your brows, listening carefully as he spoke before finally chiming in, "I'm sorry, Gaster, but I still don't understand what this has to do with me. I'm a human after all, why would any of them want to kill me?"

"Patience, dear human. I have reasons to believe that they wanted to use you, or rather your death to finally force us into a war. You're a valuable contact to us, a human working for and with monsters. Your death would have greatly limited our chances of monster-human relations, weakening us enough for them to have an even larger advantage."

He fell silent as he let you digest the information you had been given.

"What about Harriet? Why did they...?"

Gaster gave a look of sympathy, "She was simply caught in the crossfire." A pause, "But I believe that she would have been grateful for your safety. I did not work with her as often as I would have liked, but she had nothing but kind things to say about you. Now would be no different, I am sure."

You just have a tiny smile in response, not trusting yourself to speak. The last thing you needed was to start crying in front of Gaster of all people.

"But, that brings me to my offer." He said after a moment, giving a nod, "You will be staying here, so I would like to offer you a chance to work with us. You will likely be out with Sans or Papyrus to ensure your safety, but I believe that your presence could help sway some neutral gangs to become our allies. And you will be paid generously, of course."

You didn't have to give it much thought before you spoke again, "I accept."

"Wonderful. Now, I hate to cut our time short, but have some work to get done. We will speak again soon, but for now you should find my son and have him introduce you to the others here." He gave a kind smile, gesturing to the door. The air crackled with a strange energy as it swung open. You gaped. You were pretty sure monster magic will never fail to amaze you.

Stepping out of the office, you were relieved to see Sans leaning against the wall, staring at the ground in front of him as though lost in thought.

"Gaster is pretty intimidating." You giggled softly, catching his attention. His grin widened, the lights in his eyes widening the smallest bit as he looked at you. "But also kinder than I expected."

"Heh." Sans pushed himself from the wall, scratching the back of his skull, "Yeah Dad's somethin' else." Something about his tone left you questioning how he actually felt about his father, but you knew better than to ask, "So, want me to show ya around? Make sure Undyne doesn't try an suplex you when you're not paying attention."

You blinked. "Would she actually do that?"

"Yup. Just for the _halibut_."

You rolled your eyes at that, shoving his shoulder playfully, "C'mon, bonehead. Less punning and more showing me around."

\---

Sans did just that, first allowing you to become familiar with the main room, which was used as a general hang out and where plans were made. The corner housed a mini kitchen and fridge. One of the doors you had seen earlier led to an infirmary of sorts, where a reptile monster by the name of Alphys worked as a doctor. She was timid, but once Sans mentioned anime she seemed to change completely, chatting almost non stop about the show in question. It took you a few moments to finally break free from the conversation, only managing thanks to Undyne showing up and quite literally sweeping Alphys off her feet. It seemed the two of them were a couple of sorts. 

It was rather cute, if you were being honest.

The next room was a small one, with makeshift beds and cots. You assumed this is where you would sleep until further notice, shooting Sans a glance.

"People don't sleep here too often. We all got our own places, so this is more for when we're pulling late night jobs." He shrugged, "but if ya hate it you could always crash at me and Pap's place. Can't say our couch would be any more comfortable, though."

You shook your head, offering a smile, "It's alright. You guys have done enough for me already."

"Alright, kid. Now, one last place to show you, I think." He led the way through another door, into another building entirely. It matched the other in size, though there wasn't much in this one but a few fighting dummies. As he led the way past them you were left feeling uneasy. As if the crudely sewn together cloth and stuffing was watching you. 

Your thoughts were quickly dispersed as you stepped into an armory, perhaps the largest you had ever seen. Guns of every shape hung on the walls and in cabinets, shells and ammunition scattered everywhere.

"You know, for monsters that can use magic, you sure are armed to the teeth." You muttered, taking a bullet from one of the shelves and toying with it in your fingers.

"Guns are effective." Sans's voice was uncharacteristically serious as he avoided your gaze. The edges of his grin dropped the slightest bit before returning to normal, "Now there's a reason I brought ya in here. Gimme a second." He looked around at the various weapons, humming as he searched before yanking open one of the cabinets. "Heh. Found ya."

Turning back to face you, he held out what he had been searching for: a black pistol, small enough to be easily concealed in a purse of bag.

You stared at it a long moment, uncertainty written on your features. "What...?"

"C'mon kid, take it. It won't bite s'long as you're careful. Ever used one of these before?"

You shook your head, "Never needed to before."

"Welp, guess I'll have to teach ya."

 

What had you gotten yourself into?


	9. I guess anime is nice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be up in five hours, but have a chapter! :D
> 
> Again, thank you to everyone who has left comments! They really make my day. :'3c

Guns were, in their own way, terrifying. You had been in front of a barrel only a handful of times, and only when things got very, very out of hand, but it was enough to make you more than aware of what they could do. 

You had followed Sans back into the large empty room outside the armory, when he stopped, handing the gun and clip to you again with an easy grin.

"Alright, here ya go kiddo." Carefully, you took the weapon into your hands. It was heavier than you expected for such a small gun. After a moment of fiddling with it, you managed to clip the magazine into place, looking to Sans for further instructions. "Paps would probably be better for this, but I guess you'll have to make due with me. Now..." 

He lifted a hand, and a light blue bone shot up from the ground. It was a good ten feet in front of you, with the width of a small tree. Sans dusted his hands with a wide grin, glancing back to you. 

"That's what we're aimin' for." He stepped next to you, taking your hands into his own while keeping the gun pointed in front of the two of you. "You wanna make sure you got a good hold on it. Keep this finger up along the barrel." He gently coaxed your hands into place. When he was satisfied he pulled back a bit, still within arms reach, "Good job kid, you're a natural."

You gave a smile in return, feeling a bit more confident, "Alright, bone boy, What's next?"

"Heh. Don't _jump the gun_ , kid. Separate your feet a little. You want 'em spread so you don't lose your balance." You did as instructed, and he gave a grunt of approval, returning to your side. "Now hold up your arms as straight as you can. Just, uh, make sure you can look down the sight." 

You locked your arms in front of you, squeezing an eye shut so you could look down the barrel. It felt a bit awkward, if you were being honest, and Sans' low laughter in your ear was enough to tell you that something was up. 

"It's not nice to laugh at the noobie, you know." You gave a playful glare, though your retaliation was cut short as he wrapped his arms around you. Your cheeks flushed as he put his arms to your locked elbows, gently pressing them into a more relaxed position. 

"Relax, kid. You're way too stiff, and that's comin' from someone made of bones." His baritone voice was in your ear, a hint of amusement in his tone as he moved his hands back to your shoulders. "Now that little switch on the side is the safety. When you got the target lined up, flip it and pull the trigger."

You gave a small nod, trying to concentrate on the steps he had told you. Feet apart, arms straight but not locked, line up the sight... You felt pressure over your ears and froze, glancing back behind you. Sans' sleeves were pushed up over his hands, which he had cupped over your ears as makeshift hearing protection. He blinked as you glanced his way. Maybe he had figured he overstepped some sort of line, because his jaw immediately tightened and his grin became tense. But before he could begin to move his hands away, you smiled, turning back to your target.

"Thanks, bone boy." Your own voice was muffled slightly, but you could feel the breath of his laughter against your neck as you lined up the shot again.

You let out a breath, holding it as you flicked the safety. Slowly you began to pull the trigger...

And your hand jerked as you over anticipated the shot. A bang echoed through the large room, and you were suddenly very thankful for the skeletal hands and fabric muffling the sound.

The bullet missed the center by a long shot, though a noticeable scuff on the very edge the bone proved that you at least hit it... Albeit very poorly.

Sans laughter came into focus as he removed his hands. The look on your face must have bordered on pathetic, because he quickly tried to stifle himself, "Hey, it's okay, kid. That's why we practice. Besides, I'm sure if Paps had trained ya you would have hit dead center first try."

You huffed, looking back towards towards the bone, staring at it a long time before turning back to Sans, determination in your eyes.

"Let me try again."

\---

By the end of the evening you were exhausted. Firing practice went on longer than you had planned, though it was safe to say you were getting better. Sans was right beside you the whole time, giving you little pointers and hearing protection.

A small part of you wanted to admit that you enjoyed his arms around you, and when he spoke small praises after a job well done.

A much larger part of you brushed that feeling to the very, very back of your mind.

After practice you had pizza with the skeleton brothers, Undyne, and Alphys. They were an animated bunch, and it was clear through the teasing and the puns that they were all very close. Despite that it was easy for you to chime in, and despite Undyne's dirty looks you felt welcome to be there. 

"Welp, me and Paps should head home. Pops is probably waitin' for us." Sans shrugged, shoving his hands into his pocket. Papyrus shot to his feet, giving you a smile bright enough to light the room.

"We will be back tomorrow, human! Have fun on your sleepover!" 

Sleepover? You glanced at Undyne and Alphys, the later giving a shy smile, "S-Since uh, you're in danger we're gonna be here too. I-I have my laptop, so we can watch anime. It'll be fun!"

Undyne scoffed, but you chose to ignore her, "Sounds great, Alphys. I hope you boys have a good night." 

"Of course! Good night, human!"

"Night."

You watched as the two of them stepped out into the dark night.

With them gone, you suddenly felt a lot more nervous. Alphys was kind enough, but Undyne was very capable of killing you, and if looks could kill you'd already be dead.

Thankfully, the lizard monster was quick to notice the rising tension, standing up from her spot on the couch, "W-would you like to watch anime? I can get it set up now." She rung her hands, obviously nervous. You gave a small nod, and with that she quickly fled back into the infirmary. 

Leaving you and Undyne alone.

There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch on for eternity before Undyne finally spoke. Her eye was narrowed as she looked towards the door Alphys had gone through, pointedly ignoring your gaze. "Boss told us what happened to your weird human shop. Everyone else may fall for your charity case, but it doesn't change the fact that you're a human. You're a danger to us, and I just hope Boss knows what he's getting himself into." Her words were like venom, dripping with emotion and experience that you weren't able to comprehend.

You had a feeling that Undyne's problem with you went a little deeper than just you being a human, but you weren't about to pry and anger her more. Thankfully, Alphys came back within moments, a laptop and charger in her arms.

"W-who's ready to watch anime! I-I got Mew Mew Kissy Cutie downloaded. Would that be okay?" 

"A-ah, yeah, that's fine, Alphys." You gave a small smile, though it looked more like a grimace, you were sure. Thankfully, she didn't say anything.

The anime was cliche, but you were glad to have attention off of you. Alphys and Undyne were cuddled on a couch, completely engrossed by the show, leaving you to your thoughts on the chair across from them.

The episodes stretched on, and you could feel your eyelids get heavy the longer you watched. Glancing over to the others, you saw Undyne was already fast asleep, with Alphys struggling to untangle herself from her girlfriend's grip. When she noticed you her face turned bright red and she quickly looked away, a shy smile on her face. How Undyne managed to hook up with someone so shy and kind was beyond you.

You kept your voice low as you spoke, not wanting to wake the sleeping fish monster, "I think I'm gonna head to bed. Thanks for letting me watch with you guys." 

Alphys, who had finally found a way out of her girlfriend's grasp, gave a nod, "I-I'm glad you wanted to. I'll go help you set up." She led the way to the makeshift sleeping quarters. She helped you find a pillow and some clean sheets, sitting down on the bed across from the one you claimed for the night. She looked nervous, her tail twitching and beads of sweat on her forehead. 

"I uh, should apologize for Undyne. She's really great, honestly! She just doesn't like humans much... Er, at all, I mean."

You shook your head. Why on Earth was she apologizing? She was just as kind to you as Sans and Papyrus were. "You don't need to apologize for her. She's right to an extent. Humans can be awful..."

"Is what D-Doctor-- I mean, Gaster said true? That Harriet, the mouse monster...?"

You looked away, but it seemed to answer her question enough. 

"Y-you know... S-sometimes, when bad things happen, it's easy to push the blame on others, o-or even yourself." Alphys spoke softly as she stood. You could see her approach out of the corner of your eye, reaching out to put a hand on your shoulder. "B-but you shouldn't hold onto the past too much. Learn from what happened, and then try your best to improve from that!" It sounded like she was speaking from personal experience. You looked back up at her, and though misty eyes gave another small smile.

"Alphys, you're awesome." You put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a small pat before pulling away. She did the same, blush staining her cheeks as she grinned.

"T-Thank you. Y-You're pretty great too! U-um, well I hope you sleep well. Good night!"

And with that she left to join her girlfriend in the main room. Your chest felt a bit lighter after such honestly kind words, and you found it easy to slip into sleep. 

\---

The next morning you were startled by someone roughly shaking you awake. You groaned, trying to blink away the sleep from your eyes so you could see the perpetrator.

Of course, it was Papyrus with one of his characteristic charming grins on his face.

Dumb skeleton, being impossible to be mad at.

"Human! You have been sleeping far too long! You are going to be just as lazy as Sans if you do not get up soon."

You rubbed at your eyes, yawning as he pulled away, gloved hands resting on his hips. "Sorry, Papyrus. What time is it?"

"Nearly seven thirty! The king and Frisk will be here in only two hours!" His eye sockets widened almost comically, "I nearly forgot! I must make breakfast preparations at once. We're out of eggs!" And as quick as he was to stir you from sleep, he was gone again.

Well, it wasn't the best way to be woken up, but there has certainly been worse. You stood up with a stretch, cracking your back into place with a soft sigh. Maybe one of the couches would be more comfortable than the bed after all... You got changed into fresh clothes quickly, putting your dirty ones back in your suitcase. You would have to make a trip to the apartment at some point to wash them, considering you were certain that they didn't have a washing mashing anywhere. But that was a problem for another time... Papyrus had said that a king was coming, after all.

Wait...

...

Since when did monsters have a king?!


	10. I guess bars are a good place for friendly chats?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This. Was painful to write due to technical difficulties. I had so many problems with my phone, so if there are any mistakes or repeating passages please let me know so I can fix them! :'3 
> 
> Thanks to everyone that has shown interest in this so far~ I'm hoping to get the next chapter out without as long of a wait, so wish me luck!

When you were sufficiently put together, you stepped out of your temporary dwellings. The main room was quiet, as Papyrus seemed to have already left, leaving only Sans and Undyne standing in front of the exit. Undyne's shoulders were stiff, and she looked as though she was shaking as she hissed out something you couldn't quite catch from your distance. Sans looked tense as well, though his grin bordered on shit-eating as he shoved his hands into his pockets casually.

You approached with a deliberate yawn, causing both monster's heads to turn towards you. "Morning, Sans. Undyne."

"Tch." The fish monster glared at you, then Sans, before storming off to the training area. You expected as much, though Sans seemed to be surprised that she was still as hostile as she was when you first arrived.

"Guess girls night was a bust?" Sans raised a bony brow, his eye sockets narrowing slightly.

"Undyne really doesn't like me." You rubbed the back of your neck with an awkward smile, "Alphys is nice, though. We watched anime, talked for a bit after Undyne passed out."

"Just give Undyne time, she'll come around." He said with a shrug, moving to take a seat on one of the couches.

You gave him a look. "You really think that?"

He gave a hum of thought, chin resting in his hand as he glanced your way. Slowly, a grin pulled at his face. "Let's just say I can feel it in my bones" 

You groaned, rolling your eyes at the awful pun, "I'm pretty sure you've used that one before, bone boy."

"Everyone's a critic." A low laugh rumbled through his chest as he closed his eyes. "First Paps and now you? I gotta step up my punning game." 

"Speaking of Papyrus, he woke me up yelling something about royalty. What was that about?"

The skeletons eyes opened again, his faux pupils glancing towards you as he opened his mouth to say something. He was cut off, however, as muffled noises from outside broke through the otherwise quiet room. Suddenly the door slammed open, the noise that echoed through the room causing you to jump.

"Human! I am glad to see you are awake! The king and the smaller human Frisk are here!" Papyrus was beaming as he pranced into the building, two figures trailing behind him. The first was a large goat monster, that towered even over Papyrus. He was dressed in a black sweater and slacks, and despite his large stature, his eyes seemed kind. He eluded a sense of grace that was unfitting for someone his size. Next to him was a tiny child, half your height. They had on a stripped sweater and shorts, their brown hair sticking up everywhere. You couldn't even see their eyes past the thick locks, but they seemed to have no problem strutting in like they owned the place. It was a rather cute sight, if you were being honest.

Sans stood, offering the guests a slight wave, "'Sup Asgore? Been a while since you been around. Oof--" It sounded as though the wind was knocked out of him as the child ran full force into him, giving a huge hug before pulling back, making motions with their hands that you couldn't understand. Sign language? "Heh. 'Course I didn't forget about you, kiddo. How's my favorite bud doing?"

You approached awkwardly, and that seemed to get the child's attention. They gave a large grin, signing a few things that you still couldn't make out. "Sorry, hun. I can't understand sign..." You felt a little bit bad, but the kid just shrugged, obviously not put off by you lack of understanding. They went back to speaking to Sans, who chuckled softly.

"This is Frisk. Frisk, this is the human we talked about." Sans introduced the two of you, watching Frisk's hands as they continued to speak. Suddenly the faintest color of blue dusted his cheeks, and he frowned a little. "I'm not tellin' 'em that, kiddo."

"T-telling me what?" You looked between Sans and the child, who looked too proud of themselves for whatever they said.

Papyrus, who was onlooking from the small kitchenette spoke up this time, "They said that Sans was correct, and that you are very pretty, human! Nyeh-heh-heh!"

Frisk grinned, wiggling their eyebrows as they gave two thumbs up in your direction. You were blushing from the comment, but who could be mad when a kid was that charming and adorable? With a giggle, you offered a hand to the child.

"Thank you, Frisk. It's nice to meet you."

They gave a nod, shaking your hand with a firm grip before running off to join Papyrus. A deep laugh caught your attention, and you craned your neck to look up at the goat monster that had approached while your attention was on Frisk.

"Hello. I am Asgore, Frisk's father." His voice was deeper than Sans, smooth and rich like honey. He offered a large paw, which you hesitantly took, "I would like to apologize for your loss. I realize that these must be troubling times for you, but I am thankful that you are here."

That was the last thing you wanted to talk about, but you gave your best grateful smile nonetheless. "Thank you, er, your majesty...?"

"Ah, please, just Asgore is quite alright." He chuckled softly, "I haven't been king in many years."

"Y'see, Asgore used to run the show before Pops took over. King was his title." Sans stood at your side, shooting you a wide grin, "'Course to some, like my bro, he'll always be a king."

Asgore gave a throaty laugh, shaking his head, "It warms my soul to see such dedication, however misplaced. Speaking of your father Sans, where is he? We have some business to discuss."

"Up where he usually is. Probably waitin' for ya too." Sans gestured to the office you had met Gaster in, and Asgore turned with a swift nod, quickly calling for Frisk to behave themselves.

You turned back towards the child in question, watching as they tugged on Papyrus's pant leg before signing something. You were about to join the two when a bony hand gripped your wrist, not tight enough to hurt, but enough to get your attention.

You glanced back to Sans to see a serious expression on his face, his usual grin falling slightly at the corners, "I gotta talk to you. Privately."

He didn't give you much room for arguing, so you simply gave a small nod, allowing him to pull you past the others and into your temporary bedroom. 

Sans released you, shutting the door behind the two of you before scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "Me and G were talking. He wants you to come with me on a job later today." He paused, the lights in his eye sockets nearly disappearing as he stared at you, "It might be dangerous. Figured I'd warn you."

You gave a small nod, "Being a fence isn't exactly the safest job, Sans. I will be fine."

There was a look in your eyes, one of pure determination. Sans continued to stare at you a long moment, as though he was searching your face for some sort of hesitation. When he found none, his shoulders slumped as he gave a fond smile. "You're something else, kid. Not sure if you're the bravest human I've met or the most stubborn."

"Hey, be nice." You shoved his shoulder playfully, giving a grin of your own, "so what is this job, anyways?"

"Got a few smaller gangs that we need to do a little recon on. They're humans, and we haven't had trouble with 'em in the past, but we need to make sure they aren't planning anything."

You gave a small nod, "So where do I come in?"

"Easy. You can get close without drawin' attention to yourself and tell me what you see while I tail ya from afar. Just stay quiet and on your toes and ya should be fine." He paused, the lights in his eye sockets dimming slightly, "and you know that gun I gave you? Where is it?"

You gestured to your bag, "In there. Why...?"

"Keep it on ya." His baritone voice was low, dangerous sounding even as he leaned closer. The lights in his eye sockets were completely gone now, leaving you to stare into the empty voids as he spoke, "And if you need to use it, don't hesitate. Capiche?" 

You gave a small nod, shivers threatening to roll down your spine at the gravity of the situation you were in. People were out to kill you, and your only chance was to fight back.

You hated that thought.

"SANS!" Papyrus burst through the door, causing you to jump yet again, head whipping around to see the skeleton. Frisk was at his side, the two of them holding plates of food, "At least allow the new human to eat before talking about work! How will she be the best she can be without having a filling breakfast?"

"Heh. You're right bro. Let's go, kid." The lights in Sans' eyes were back, as if the last few minutes had never happened. You gave a tiny nod, thoughts still running a mile a minute as you followed them to breakfast.

\---

The rest of the morning after breakfast was spend in Gaster's office, briefing you on the recon job that they wanted you to do. It seemed easy enough, though you were a bit hesitant to go.

Okay, a lot hesitant.

_"I have contacts all over the place, humans and monsters alike. What if they point me out?" Your nerves were getting the best of you at this point. Anxiety was practically radiating off of you. Gaster let out an equally frustrated sigh, rubbing his temples as he slouched over his desk._

_"Even if you are, you do not need to say anything that would compromise yourself." Standing straight, he stared down at you, "Now, if you are done fretting I would like you to get to work."_

_And with that you were shooed out of his office._

Which led you to where you were now, walking down the crowded streets of Central Ebott with a shawl over your head to keep the wind from your face. You approached your destination after a brisk walk through the cluster of humans. It was another bar, this one a bit larger than Grillby's, with various neon signs in the windows, including a flashing "Open" sign and a "No Monsters Allowed" card sitting on the sill. 

This was the place alright.

You were tempted to look around, to see if Sans was keeping his word of keeping an eye on you, but thought better of it. You couldn't hesitate and give yourself away. Sucking in a breath, you pulled open the door, being greeted with the potent smell of fried food and alcohol as you stepped through.

It was dark, with a few ceiling lights bathing the room in a warm glow. It was no Grillby's. The room felt too tense as you stepped in, even more so than when you went to the fire elemental's bar for the first time. A few customers looked at you, suspicion already written on their face. It felt like a rock was dropped in your stomach; you were not going to be able to blend in when everyone was looking at you like that.

Swallowing your nerves, you made your way to the bar, giving the bartender a small smile before ordering a soda. The last thing you wanted to do was drink right now. You had to be alert.

You pulled your phone out of your pocket, trying to be discreet as you hit record. Alphys assured you with the app she created you should be able to pick up most conversations in the bar. You were hoping she was right as you pocketed it again with a soft sigh.

Now you wait.

"Somethin' the matter there, kid?" The bartender spoke as he slid over your glass. He was an aging man, hair thinning and face pulling down into a natural frown. He must have been a few inches shorter than even you, but he still gave an intimidating aura.

"N-no, not really. Just waiting on my date." You lied through your teeth, pulling the glass to your lips as the man gave a thoughtful nod. Thankfully he didn't bother to ask any more questions, simply leaving you be as other patrons sat at the bar a few seats down from you.

"I'm tellin' ya these monsters are killin' people now." One of the men spoke, his voice a hushed but angry sounding. Your attention was drawn immediately.

The other scoffed, his fingertips tapping on the table as the first continued, "You hear about the woman? The one that was found dead over on Eastbrook? I'm tellin' ya, it was monsters. Took her soul and everything."

You tensed, trying to keep a straight face as you sipped your drink.

The second man spoke up this time, "Bet it was those monsters who stole her kid. I can't believe some monster sympathizer of a judge let that shit slide. Kid would have been better off dead than with some animal."

You could feel your blood begin to boil, rage pooling in your chest as you stared down at the counter. Sucking in a breath, you willed yourself to calm down. You couldn't say anything right now.

The first man's voiced lowered to a whisper, "I think that the Dusters are after 'em. I'm thinkin' of joining. Someone said their leader even has a plan to wipe 'em out."

Dusters...?

"Just don't get eaten by some monster too."

The conversation died down into an unimportant drawl, and you were beginning to get impatient to leave. Polishing the last of your soda the bartender gave a sympathetic look. Right. By now he probably things you got stood up or something.

Standing up, you placed a few dollars on the countertop for your soda before turning to leave, itching to just get away from the hateful men. 

As you stepped out into the streets you let out another sigh, this one of relief. At the very least you weren't caught or suspected of anything more than a failed date. You just hoped you caught enough of the conversation to give Sans an idea of what was happening... 

Maybe you hadn't admitted it to anyone yet, but there was a reason you decided to help them. At the end of the day you didn't care how much money they could manage to put in your bank account or how safe you would be with them in comparison to your apartment. All that mattered was that working with them put you that much closer to finding out who was responsible for the death of Harriet.

A small part of your soul, deeply rooted beneath empathy and determination, wanted justice for what had happened to your friend. If it wasn't an accident, you needed to know.

And who knew, maybe having a human on their side really could turn things in the monsters' favor. 

You approached the desolated spot Sans had said to meet you, catching the way his grin softened the slightest bit upon seeing you. Offering a small smile in return, you came to a resolution.

You were definitely going to stick around.


	11. I guess this was a very big mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you don't realize the friends you have until you're without them for a while.
> 
> \---
> 
> A super long chapter because I was able to write on a computer for once aha~ Hope that you guys enjoy!  
> Tags and archive warnings are also updated!
> 
> *Quick trigger warning; non-consensual drug use, bad guys doing bad stuff, violence, and blood. Stay safe you guys. d(ovo;;)

As the days passed you quickly fell into a routine. You would wake in time for breakfast with whoever was around, usually Papyrus and Sans, though Undyne and Alphys would show up early on occasion. Then you’d head to the shower (an old work shower, the farthest thing from the comfort of home, save for a bucket of water over the head, but it worked) before getting ready for whatever job Gaster planned for you. 

You were mostly on recon, going with Sans to scope out the different areas of both central and the monster district. Going to the former was dangerous for Sans, so he mostly kept out of sight. For a long time you figured he was just off sleeping somewhere, but he was actually a harder worker than he gave himself credit for, using his magic to teleport you to and from places and keeping tabs on both you and his surroundings.

He never really said what else he did for Gaster other than being an extra man and your temporary babysitter. He’d just chuckle softly, the corners of his eye sockets crinkling in amusement before playing it off with a joke.

Papyrus, you learned, was the sharpshooter of the group. Sans was true to his word about him being a good shot, and with his help you had improved considerably as well. You were still determined not to ever use it, but the skill was useful in the line of work nonetheless. 

You and Alphys became increasingly close as well. You learned she was the robotics and demolition specialist, and she was incredibly brilliant, even being the one to make the successful robotic star Mettaton. She would be shy and skittish about a lot of things, but once you asked about what she was working on or about the anime she liked there was little stopping her from continuing, save for Undyne of course. Get the two in a room together and they do nothing but eye each other. 

Ah… Undyne.

It was safe to say things between the two of you were less hostile, though it was still clear she didn’t like you. Sans was right, though. She was strong and skilled with an arsenal of weaponry and could probably take thugs down with a toothpick alone, which was as impressive as it was terrifying. She also seemed to have a soft spot for Frisk, which was curious considering her hatred of humans. You didn’t ask about it.

And then there was Gaster. Despite seeing him almost daily for your assignments, you really knew nothing more about him. He seemed pleasant enough, though would be easily frustrated if you were to ask or fret about things that were obvious to him, but he wasn’t unreasonable to work for. 

So far, things were… well, good. Surprisingly so, considering the circumstances.

 

You sat in the main room, laying back on the couch with your feet propped up on the armrest. After almost two weeks of nonstop running around and sleeping on a mattress that you were pretty sure was made of rocks, your body was aching. You let out a low whine to no one in particular—Alphys and Undyne had left for the evening, and the skeleton brothers were nowhere to be seen. With a huff you threw your arm over your face, trying to will away the deep pain in your lower back. That was it, you were just gonna sleep on the couch tonight. 

And then tell Gaster that they needed new mattresses around here. 

Though… it wasn’t like they were used to often. There hadn’t been a night heist or job to do since you got there. It was just you. You, in one of the safest locations in the entire monster district after someone attempted to kill you, and you were worried about the fact that the mattress you slept on was killing your back. 

You had your priorities straight.

“You okay there kiddo?” Sans’ deep voice spoke—it sounded like he was towering over you, but you didn’t bother to open your eyes. Or move anything, for that matter. You just gave another pathetic groan, which only earned you a soft chuckle in return, “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you grimace like that. What’s got ya rattled?”

“The matress I’m sleeping on is killing me.” You huffed, finally moving your arm to catch Sans face above you. The lights in his eyes were studying you, his usual sly grin in place.

“Heh. Been trying to get Pops to replace them for years. Says he won’t because it’ll encourage me to sleep on the job.” He shrugged, watching as you sat up, making room for him next to you. He took the seat next to you, arm draping over the armrest that your feet were on moments ago. 

You stretched out again, letting your feet rest on his legs. He shot you an amused look, and you just shrugged.

“Hey, if you wanna share this couch with me, you gotta be my footrest. I don’t make the rules.”

His grin relaxed as he laughed softly, his shoulders shaking a bit, “Those are some toeribble rules you got there. Seems unfair to keep me under a-rest like this.”

You giggled as he moved to poke at your big toe for emphasis, flinching away slightly but otherwise remained unmoving. Of course you couldn’t help but grin at the still-terrible-but-not-bone puns, “Not bad, bone boy, not bad. Maybe someday even Papyrus will openly appreciate your jokes.”

“Nah, he’s always gonna say he hates ‘em. But I know he doesn’t.” He shot you a wink. Comfortable silence fell over the two of you as he leaned his head back against the couch, relaxing as his eyes slipped closed. Sans had obviously been working pretty hard the last few weeks as well, if the dark shadows under his eye sockets were any indication.

After a few moments you spoke up, an idea in mind.

“Hey Sans?” 

“Yeah?”

“Wanna go to Grillby’s?” You propped yourself up on your elbows. He still had his head back and eye sockets closed, but his smile grew.

“Sounds good to me, kid. Beats being a footrest ‘til I turn to dust.” He snickered.

“Alright!” You kicked your feet off of him, standing up and stretching. You were still sore, but Grillby’s fries sounded too good to pass up on—especially after eating nothing but cheap take-out and Papyrus’s questionable cooking for nearly two weeks. Sans stood up as well, offering you a hand as usual when he was going to take you through one of his ‘shortcuts’. You took it without hesitation, stepping closer to wrap an arm around his neck. 

“Y’know, just holding my hand is fine. I wouldn’t drop ya.” He laughed, but placed an arm loosely around your middle anyways.

“With how disorienting it is, I’d rather you be there as opposed to falling face first into the pavement.” You frowned, heat rising to your cheeks as you glanced away.

He hummed in response, seemingly content with that before leaning close. His breath ghosted over your ear, causing a shiver to roll down your spine as he spoke, “Don’t let go.”

You squeezed your eyes shut as the air prickled with magic, followed by the familiar lurching feeling deep in your chest. And as soon as it came, the feeling was gone, replaced by the feel of cool air on your skin and the smell of cooking food overwhelming your senses. You opened your eyes to see Sans smiling at you—one of his natural ones, where his grin wasn’t so huge and eyes closed the tiniest bit. 

“Y’ can let go now, kid.” He released your hand and his grip around your waist, and you pulled away from him like you were burned, face practically on fire.

“I hate those shortcuts of yours, y’know.” Huffing softly, you refused to meet his gaze, instead taking in the new surroundings. You were standing outside of Grillby’s, only a few feet away from the door. A few steps, and you reached for the handle… but you found yourself hesitating. It would be the first time you’ve come here since what happened. You were more than a little anxious to go back. Sans seemed to notice something was off, stepping behind you to put a hand on your shoulder. It was something he would often do when he sensed you were distressed. He wasn’t a hugger like Papyrus was, but just the small gesture was grounding. Comforting.

“You gonna be okay?” He was genuinely concerned, and you felt a little bad for wavering over something so small. So instead of saying your fears, you gave the best smile you could manage, not wanting to chicken out of your idea now. You did miss seeing everyone, especially Grillby.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s go.” You turned and pulled open the door before Sans could question farther. The bar was relatively quiet, the warm atmosphere and soft music playing in the background unchanging from the last time you had been there. A few of the dog monsters at their usual table seemed to recognize you, giving sympathetic gazes as you passed. Sans followed shortly behind, and was greeted immediately with a chorus of “Sans!” 

You were grateful—you didn’t know how much more pity you could take without breaking down again… 

With careful steps you made your way up to the bar and took your usual spot. Grillby, who had been cleaning a glass before had set it down on the countertop in front of him, his full attention on you now. You almost expected him to be angry at you for not showing up after what happened, and being under his gaze made you want to shrink in on yourself. He leaned close, motioning for you to do the same until his face was right next to your ear, as if telling you a secret.

“… I’m glad you’re well…” It… It was his voice! It was smooth and smoky, but crackled like the rest of him did. Your eyes were wide, mouth hanging open in disbelief, but he continued before you could get in even a gasp of surprise, “I am sorry for what happened… but you are always welcome here.”

And with that he pulled away, his flames flickering a bit brighter as he caught the expression on your face. The disbelief turned into a small smile, your eyes misting over with unshed tears as you gazed at the fire elemental. He was a man that didn’t say things unless necessary. And… what he did say, he quite obviously meant. Your chest swelled at that realization, and with a shaky laugh you wiped at your eyes before your tears threatened to spill. “Thanks, Grillby.” 

Sans, who was giving the two of you a moment, took the seat next to you. He gave Grillby a knowing grin, thankfully deciding not to mention your tears. “I’ll take some fries, Grillbz. What about you, kiddo? It’s on me.” He winked, and Grillby crackled in annoyance. 

The familiarity was nice. 

The three of you—well, mostly you and Sans—talked for a long time over your fries about anything and everything. You told Grillby about you working with Sans full time now, and he seemed to be happy for you, despite the dismal circumstances. After your meal the two of you decided on some drinks to wrap up the night. It was nice having some good food, some bad laughs, and some kind friends. By the time Sans suggested going back you were pleasantly buzzed, and had no doubts that the couch would make an excellent bed for the evening. The two of you bid Grillby and the last of the monsters there goodbye before heading out. 

“Is it okay if we just walk, Sans?” You really didn’t want to accidentally lose your meal because of the weird feeling teleporting always gave you. Sans just chuckled softly, as if reading your thoughts, and nodded.

“Sure thing. Just stay close.” 

“R-roger.” You shivered as a gust of wind licked at your bare arms. In hindsight you probably should have worn a jacket since it was getting increasingly colder the closer fall became. You looked towards Sans, expecting him to lead the way back, but he was instead taking off his black jacket, exposing his white button down and suspenders. 

“Here.” He draped it unceremoniously around your shoulders, causing you to giggle as you pulled it a bit tighter. It was warm (you chalked that up to magic) and smelt like him, a mixture of calcium, gunpowder, and just the smallest hint of smoke. It wasn’t overpowering, but it was definitely him.

“Sans, do you smoke?” You raised a brow his way, getting a guilty smile in return. Bingo.

“Sometimes I’ll smoke a dog treat when things get a little heated at work.” He said back, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Don’t tell Papyrus, alright? He thinks I quit. Granted I used to be a lot worse than I am now, I still think he’d be hurt to know I lied to ‘im.”

You gave a nod of understanding, “I won’t tell, but you gotta promise you’ll quit eventually.” He grimaced, and you quickly added, “Not right away, just eventually.”

He seemed to ponder this for a moment as the two of you stepped side by side down the street. Eventually, he gave a small sigh of defeat, “Alright, alright. It’s a deal.”

The two of you continued walking, the city street lights laminating the way. You couldn’t help but steal glances at Sans, who’s bones were practically glowing as the light hit the pearly white surface of them. His usual smile was smaller than usual, a more natural one that you had come to grow quite fond of. Honestly, you were fond of Sans in general. You blushed, glancing away as you stomped down those thoughts. He was a partner in crime and your friend, nothing more. Besides, human monster couples weren’t exactly looked highly upon. You couldn’t even remember if there had even been such a thing that didn’t end in death. Chewing on your lower lip, your thoughts continued to wander. Before you knew it you were a few steps ahead of Sans, and you quickly paused to see what had caused him to lag behind. 

Behind you, Sans stood frozen in place, his eye sockets losing their white lights. He was inhumanly still for a moment, not even visibly breathing, before turning his head in the direction you came. His gaze was hard, menacing looking even, as he looked around as if to try and find _something_. Your brows furrowed together as you followed his gaze, only to see the empty streets behind you. _What is going on with him?_

“Sans…?” You reached over to touch his arm, effectively snapping him out of whatever state he was in. The white pinpricks came back as he turned back to you, his teeth grinding together in a tense grin.

“Sorry kid, just thought I heard somethin’.” 

You weren’t convinced in the slightest. You hadn’t heard anything, and he looked too anxious for it to have been just a noise, but decided to drop it. “Gaster’s been working you too hard. C’mon, let’s get back soon so Paps can take you home.”

“Alright, kid. But uh, how about we take a shortcut?” He was hesitant, and although you had already expressed your displeasure at the thought you didn’t want to make whatever was going on with him worse. With a small sigh you nodded, moving closer to wrap your arms around his neck. 

“If I barf it’s your fault.” You smiled, trying to lighten the heavy mood that settled around the two of you. It seemed to do the trick, as he let out a breath of laughter that tickled your ear.

“Please don’t, I don’t think I could _stomach_ that.”

You just groaned as you stepped through a tear into the darkest darkness.

\---

The next day you were back at the anti-monster bar for the second time. Despite your protests, Gaster had insisted that the only way to pick up any more information was to have to go there again. You reluctantly agreed, but wished that there was someone else to do the job. Just being around so many people that you knew were aggressive towards monsters made you nervous… 

It was later in the evening, approaching nearly nine. It was dangerous, but people were more willing to talk openly after a few drinks, and this would be the time. You pushed the door open to see it was packed just as tightly as Grillby’s was on a Saturday night, which made things a little easier for you. It meant you wouldn’t stand out like a sore thumb if you do manage to slip up. 

You passed a few of the patrons playing pool, taking one of the few empty seats at the bar. The same man from before came to you with a grin that sent shivers down your spine. It almost looked like…

“Ah, you’re back. Didn’t think I’d be seeing your face around again.” He let out a gruff chuckle. You smiled politely back, your mind racing. You hadn’t exactly expected him to remember you, and the realization that he did was a bit more than a little disconcerting, especially given the time it had been since you had last stopped.

“You remember me?” You asked curiously, hoping that it wasn’t obvious how fast your heart was beating. He just shook his head, letting out another laugh.

“Not every day we get girls as cute as you around. But enough about that—what can I get for ya?”

You hesitated. A drink could be a risky move, but not getting one could look suspicious.

“Do you have anything light? Low alcohol?” You smiled sheepishly, hoping that it was a reasonable enough request.

“Strawberry-rose spritzer sound good to you? It’s a home-made recipe.” He asked, moving to get it prepared. You nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

A few moments later you had the chilled glass in your hand, and gingerly sipped. It was delicious, though tasted a bit differently than you were expecting. You paid it no mind as you got out the phone, switching on the recording before sending Sans a quick text, as to not look too suspicious. 

_**It’s really crowded here.** _

Not even thirty seconds later, a reply.

_you gonna be okay kiddo?_

_**Yeah, but stay close by just in case.** _

“What’re you smiling about, girly?” The bartender asked, causing you to jump a bit, “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s quite alright.” You smiled, taking another sip of the alcohol in your hand before pocketing your cell.

“So, you still talkin’ to that guy that stood you up?” He raised a brow as he leaned his elbows on the countertop. His voice was soft enough that you were certain you were the only one that could hear him in the loud bar. Your smile turned awkward quickly as you lied through your teeth.

“Yeah, I decided to give him another chance. That was him now.” Another small sip, “It’s rare to find a guy like him.”

A skeleton, your brain supplied, and you almost laughed. He seemed just as amused, giving a chuckle as he watched you like a hawk. It was… unnerving. You took another drink, head starting to feel a bit fuzzy. You frowned slightly. You asked for low alcohol, didn’t you? You swallowed, “H-hey, uh…”

He raised a hand to cut you off, his grin widening, turning almost… predatory, “I got a question for you, girly. What is a girl who spends her time with monsters doing at an anti-monster bar?”

Your eyes widened, “W-What…?”

He dug out something out of his pocket, some sort of small device, almost the size of a cellphone. “Amazing what technology can pick up on. Y’ have magic all over you. Now what do you have to say for yourself?” He hummed, eyes darkening, “My boss doesn’t like those who meddle in our territory.”

You tried to get to your feet, but your mind was becoming more and more fogged. You hadn’t drank enough for this to happen… you felt like you couldn’t breathe, and a hand from the man next to you gripped your upper arm. You turned, trying to focus on his face with no avail.

“Let’s get you home.” The stranger with your arm in his hold said, his voice laced with mocking amusement. You tried to say something back but your mouth felt like it was filled with cotton.

The bartender chuckled, ruffling your hair in a seemingly affectionate gesture, “Chara gives their regards.”

“H-He…lp…” You slurred to someone, anyone, as you were pulled from your seat and into the man’s arms. You couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back despite your brain screaming that you needed to get away. God what was going to happen to you?! You could feel the edges of your vision darkening as you were carried out into the quiet streets. The man just hummed happily to himself as he gripped you tighter, almost painfully so. 

He was going to hurt you… maybe even kill you.

You could feel your tears slipping down your face, powerless to do anything about it.

“Hey pal, I think that’s my friend you got there.” A voice. A familiar one at that. You tried to move your gaze in the direction of it, only to see a blur of white and black stand out against the blue night sky. 

“Sa… n…s…” You whimpered for him as the man holding you growled. 

“What, a monster like you? You freaks don’t have friends. Now get outta my way before I decide to do my job and ‘take care’ of your friend here.” 

“Pal… you’re makin’ a huge mistake here.” Sans voice was low, threatening. “Now let the girl go or else you’re really, really not gonna like what happens next.”

There was a moment where you could feel the air prickle with magic, stronger than you had ever felt it before. It burned at your nose and caused your hairs to stand on end. The grip on you loosened, but you hardly could tell as you were still fighting for consciousness. Suddenly it seemed as though something in the air had snapped, and before you could process what was going on a blue flash of light was heading straight for you. You didn’t have time to process what was going on before the blue was replaced with red, and you were falling. 

A pair of sturdy arms caught you before you hit the ground, only this time it was gentle. You felt safe, despite the gurgling sound that was coming from where the man was standing. A low voice whispered in your ear, “If you can, shut your eyes, doll.”

The fighting you had to remain awake waned, and you did as Sans told. You trusted him. You were safe now. 

You couldn’t even hear the sound of bones breaking and fleshed being ripped apart as you let darkness consume you.

\---

Sans stood over the mangled corpse of the man that had threatened the human. A bone to the throat seemed to have cut off the most of his screaming, though there was still unfinished business and no knowledge of when someone else would pass by. Sans had to work quickly. He opened a tear underneath the man, allowing him to be sucked into the void, leaving a bloody splotch in his place and nothing more. 

_Good._

He looked at the human in his arms, covered in the blood of her attacker. He knew, _he fucking knew_ that sending her back was a mistake, that they would know and she would be hurt, or worse. But Gaster wouldn’t hear it. Sans ground his teeth together as she shivered, her breathing labored from whatever the hell they managed to slip to her. He opened a tear back home; Alphys would be able to help.

A small, pathetic part of him was glad that she had lost consciousness when she did. 

The last thing he wanted was for her to know what he did, his specialty in Gaster’s little band of misfits…

_This was his job. He made people disappear._


	12. I guess playing 20 questions isn't the best way to pass the time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhg. This chapter took so long and I'm still not 100% happy with it. But we're getting more plot. That's good I think??
> 
> Comments are always encouraged, and thank you all for over 200 kudos! You guys give me the drive to continue this crazy story~

You didn’t dream.

You assumed the feeling of your waking was similar to coming to after being put under anesthetic. A mixture of what was going on around you and the haze of sleep blending and fading as you fought to stay unconscious for just a little bit longer. Voices called your name, or maybe you had just heard it in passing. It was so muffled you couldn’t make out. But eventually the voices pulled you from the clutches of sleep.

The first thing you noticed when you finally woke was that you were in pain.

A lot of pain. 

“Nhg…” The groan that left your lips seemed to have caught the attention of those who were talking, because they fell silent before a hushed voice next to you finally spoke.

“D-Don’t try to get up yet,” It was Alphys, and, had you not been feeling like just opening your eyes would cause you to be ill, you would have quipped about not wanting to move anytime soon, “You were drugged… You were lucky Sans w-was there when he was. D-Do you remember what happened?

You raked your brain, trying to recall what had happened before you passed out. You ahd gone into the bar to get more information for Gaster… Strawberries… Yes, you had some sort of strawberry drink. The bartender had some sort of thing that could tell you were around magic, but after that your memories became blurred together into splashes of color and confusion and fear. 

You let out another groan, hoping it was non-committal enough to convey your uncertainty.

“A-Alright, we’ll uh, talk about that later. Are you in any pain?”

Your throat felt like sandpaper and your head throbbed worse than any hangover you had in the past. 

“A shit ton.” Your voice was gravely, weak even. A snort of laughter that you figured was Undyne caused your head to pang uncomfortably, but you ignored it. Slowly, you opened your eyes to see Alphys looming over you. The room was dimly lit, but still seemed too bright to your sensitive eyes. But despite your brash wording Alphys seemed to perk up at the sight of your eyes opening, her own widening behind her glasses as a shy smile pulled at her mouth.

“G-Good to know. I don’t want you to take any medication until w-we know for sure the drugs are out of your system. B-But staying hydrated should help!”

You gave a weak nod, closing your eyes again. God this was awful… you didn’t want to think what would have happened if Sans hadn’t been there... Your brows furrowed together. Was he alright? You hoped that he hadn’t gotten himself hurt because of you.

“Where’s Sans…?”

“O-Oh! I should have guessed y-you wanted to talk to him. I-I’ll go get him and get you some water, as well.” With a nod, Alphys rushed out of the room, Undyne following closely behind her.

You opened your eyes again, a huff of frustration being directed at no one but yourself. Slowly, very slowly, you pushed yourself up into a sitting position. You were still a bit dizzy and your head throbbed at every jostle, but you were at least aware of your surroundings again. You were sitting in the warehouse infirmary—thankfully Alphys didn’t think it necessary to use much of the medical supplies that lined the cabinets. It meant that aside from a killer hangover you were alright. At least, you assumed as much.

You also realized you weren’t wearing the clothes you had been the night before. 

You paled at the implications of that, a cold sweat chilling your spine. 

Don’t think about that. Don’t. Sans got to you before anything could happen, right? Your chest tightened, tears threatening to spill as you fought to take deep breaths. 

“Kiddo…?” Sans was leaning against the doorframe, water bottle in hand as he frowned. He took a few steps towards you, setting the bottle down on the side table, “You’re shakin’ like a leaf kid.”

Were you shaking? A quick glance at your hands told you that you were. 

“S-Sans… where are my clothes?” You struggled to find the voice to say even that, fear settling in your stomach like a rock. A brief expression of confusion crossed his features, but not a moment later he seemed to understand, his own eye sockets widening.

“Oh jeez, kid. Nothin’ happened. I wouldn’t have let anything happen. Alphys changed ya when I brought you to her.” He grimaced, taking a cautious step forward. It took a moment for the words to register in your head and relief washed over you. Nothing happened. Thank god. You let out a breath that you hadn’t realized you were holding, your death grip on the sheets slowly loosening. Sans had continued inching closer until he was standing next to the bed, his bony hand resting on your shoulder. “It’s alright, kid. You’re alright. No need for tears.”

You looked up at him then, and your confusion must have been clear on your face. He simply gave a small grin before brushing a digit across your cheek, the cool touch licking up the tears that had fallen without your knowing. You gave a weak huff of laughter, pulling away from the touch to scrub at your face with the sleeve.

“S-Shit, sorry.” You tried to laugh it off, but it was a pathetic attempt at best. Sans’ bony digits gently rubbed at your shoulder as you took some deep breaths. After a long moment of silence, your skeletal companion spoke again.

“You don’t need to apologize over every little thing.” His expression was soft, “Stars know we’ve all had our share of bad days.”

You scoffed a little, “Even Undyne?”

“Ya should’ve heard her when I brought you in. Kept saying that if you didn’t wake up she’d kick your ass herself.” He chuckled fondly before adding, “But ya didn’t hear it from me.”

You hummed in reply, his easy-going attitude contagious. It was easy to feel a bit more relaxed around him, even though you were still in a strong state of discomfort… speaking of which…

You didn’t hesitate to pluck the water bottle off the side table, popping off the cap and easily downing half of it. You had realized you were thirsty, but finally getting something to soothe your throat an aching stomach made you feel considerably better. Though you could definitely use a shower, and a long nap in a bed that wasn’t terrible.

“Hey Sans?” You gave him a hopeful smile, “Can I go to your place? Just for a shower and some decent sleep?”

He laughed again, a hand reaching out to ruffle your hair in a gesture that was far more affectionate than you were used to from him, “Sure thing, kid. Lemme just alright it with Alphys.”

And with that he sauntered out of the room, leaving you to fight the blush rising to your cheeks.

\---

The three of you got a ride from the same hooded monster as before, seeing as you were still too ill to handle teleportation or walking at this point. It took about twenty minutes to get to the edge of the city where their home resided. The apartment buildings looked nice, new, even. There were no metal shutters, freshly drying paint or graffiti. It just looked like a typical middle class neighborhood, and you could see from the children playing in the yards and the monsters chatting in front of their homes that this place was safe.

“’S far enough that humans don’t bother lookin’ for trouble. Lots of families are around though, so we still gotta keep our guard up.”

You bit your lip in thought before glancing over to Sans, who’s expression was unreadable as he continued.

“Only’ve had problems a few times. Never much damage, but things’ll only get worse if they stay this way. ‘Sides, not every family is able to live here.” He didn’t make eye contact, simply stared out the window. He looked so… tired. Like he was aged far beyond his time. With a heavy soul you looked away, allowing the rest of the ride to pass in silence.

Their home was a large looking two story house, the exterior matching the like houses that continued down the block, save for Christmas lights that wrapped around the wooden porch railings. Papyrus was quick to pull you out of the vehicle, his far too loud voice grating on your nerves as he spoke, “I will be sure to give you the best tour of scenic my house, human!”

You winced, shooting Sans a silent plea of help. The shorter skeleton just shrugged, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter as you glared at him.

“M-Maybe we can have a tour after I’ve showered?” You offered to Papyrus with the best hopeful smile you could manage, and he positively beamed at the idea. 

“Of course, human!” He quickly unlocked the door, holding it open for the three of you to head inside. Their home was… well, it screamed Papyrus and Sans, alright. There was a mess of books, on a shelf to the right, as well as a glass tank on top that looked like it had… a rock inside? To your left there was a large living area, with a cozy looking couch, a large television, and stair leading up to the second floor. Papyrus took your arm into his own, and you followed as he led you up the stairs. 

“This is my room!” He said, pointing to a door with caution tape and a stop sign that read “COOL DUDES ONLY” tacked to the wood. The next was plain, and he opened it to reveal a spacious bathroom, “This is where you can bathe, human! Sans and I will be downstairs!”

He trotted off, leaving you to your business. You shut and locked the door, removing the pack from your back with a soft sigh. Grabbing your change of clothes you left them on the countertop before getting a good look at yourself in the mirror. The bags under your eyes were deeper than usual, and based on the way your brows were furrowed you had probably been glaring at nothing all day. Your hair was atrocious and you hissed in pain as you tried your damnest to rake your fingers through the messy locks. Giving that up, you turned to the task at hand. 

Turning the shower onto one of the highest settings, you waited a moment before stepping in. It was actually blissful, showering in someplace comfortable after using the damn work showers for so long. Yup, it was final, you were going to steal Sans’ and Papyrus’s shower from now on. You worked on scrubbing the grime of the last night off of you as the clatter and muffled voices of Sans and Papyrus filled the otherwise quiet air. You could almost laugh at how domesticated the three of you seemed to be whenever you weren’t on the job. But you supposed that was what made you friends, not just partners. 

Eventually you had to leave the warm comfort of the water, shutting off the tap and grabbing a towel. You dressed quickly, not minding your damp hair as you stepped back out into the hall. _Papyrus and Sans must be in the kitchen_ , you thought, making your way down the staircase to meet with them. 

Papyrus was busying himself with making something. It smelt like a sweet tomato sauce… or maybe candied tomatoes? He hadn’t even noticed your approach. As for Sans, he was lounging at the dining room table, his feet up on the table top as he leaned back in the chair comfortably. Sometime during your shower he had changed into his blue sweatshirt and gym shorts, you noticed. It almost looked like he was asleep, and you giggled softly. He really was ridiculous sometimes.

That seemed to have gotten both boys’ attention, as Papyrus turned to grin at you and Sans eye sockets fluttered open, his white pupils gazing on you as he gave a lazy smile, “Feelin’ better, kiddo?”

“Yeah, but I’m pretty hungry.” You admitted with a shy grin, taking a seat next to the shorter skeleton. 

“Lunch will be ready shortly!” Papyrus exclaimed, and when he saw you wince he visibly deflated, “Ah, I am sorry, Human.”

“It’s okay, Paps.” You tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

His usual smile fell into something akin to a frown, “You humans are always so fragile. You really need to be careful.”

You gave a small nod, feeling terrible for causing any of them to worry, especially Papyrus. The taller skeleton went back to cooking, humming a soft tune as he worked. You glanced to Sans, clearing your throat before speaking up again. 

“So,” You leaned your elbows on the table, leaning a bit closer to the stocky skeleton. The whites in his sockets glanced at you, but his posture remained unchanging. “I want to know what happened last night. I feel like I’m missing something… Is that guy… those guys going to come back?”

Sans sat there a long moment, letting out a whistling sigh through his teeth before finally turning his attention fully to you. His gaze was intense, filled with emotion that you couldn’t quite place.

“Alright, kiddo. G and I listened to the recording from last night, got the gist of what happened at the bar. You remember what happened?”

Your brows furrowed, “A bit. I know they said something about their boss. They said a name, but I can’t remember it too well… Then one of the men grabbed me…” Anger bubbled within you as you remembered him joking with other patrons as he lead you to what you assumed would have been your death. “After that it’s kinda a blur.”

“Chara. That was the name they said.” Sans voice was clipped, and Papyrus seemed to tense up as well, glancing over at the two of you. “It doesn’t make a lick of sense, though.”

You were still confused, “What do you mean? Do you know who Chara is?”

Sans gave a solemn nod, “It was the name of Asgore and Toriel’s child. Kid was killed almost… damn, what was it, ten years ago?” Bony fingers scratched at his skull as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. 

“What… happened to them?” You almost didn’t want to ask.

“The Dusters. They’re the large human gang, same one we’re up against now. They tried wiping us out all those years ago… we lost a lot of good men, and Asgore’s kids, Chara and Asriel were both killed. They never even found the body or dust to claim…” His jaw tightened, “Gaster wants to believe that it’s just a coincidence, but Chara ain’t a common name, especially not for humans.”

“Perhaps Dad is correct, Sans?” Papyrus spoke up, setting down two plates of food on the table in front of you and Sans. “It is impossible for their leader to be the same Chara, right? So maybe we should just focus on what we have to do, and not worry about who their leader may be right now.”

Papyrus was a lot smarter than you gave him credit for. 

“Heh. You’re right, bro. But next time we’re gonna be more careful, and she’s stayin’ out of harm’s way.” A bony thumb jabbed the air in your direction and you couldn’t help but purse your lips into a small pout. He gave an amused grin, “And as for the guys that tried to hurt ya… they won’t be bothering us anymore. I made sure of it.” You didn’t know how to reply to that. His tone left no doubt in your mind that the men wouldn’t come back, but something about how he said it left you a bit… unnerved. 

Thankfully, Sans and Papyrus were quick to change topics after that. It left you with more questions than answers, however. But as you ate the terribly sweet spaghetti and listened to the two banter back and forth, you decided that your questions could wait. 

Maybe you could ask someone else when you had the chance.


	13. I guess it has been a while?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh, long time no see. ovo;)/ 
> 
> I'm gonna be real with you guys, it's been a really crazy bad year for me. But after I saw poubelle_squelette upload a new chapter of TPI after many months I figured, hey, I should do that too! So I got to writing and this is what I got. I'm really rusty and there may be continuity issues since it's been so long, so if there is anything glaringly wrong let me know so I can fix it!
> 
> P.S. if you love secondhand embarrassment and the most in character Sans I've ever seen, check out TPI: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5798113/chapters/13363663

Gaster tapped his fingertips on his desk-- an obvious sign he was irritated. In front of the large desk was Sans’, covered in the blood of a human that he had taken out in a fit of rage. He had explained himself, that the new human, the fence, was in danger. The recording that they had gotten from her cellphone indicated as much. But that was hardly an excuse for the amount of work it meant in the long run. Trying to cover “disappearances”, especially those unplanned, was an enormous amount of work. It was a headache. 

 

But there were more pressing matters. 

 

Gaster played the recording back-- he had yet to send it to Alphys to be sifted through, but what he heard was enough to cause concern.

 

“Chara gives their regards.” 

 

Sans looked at the cell phone, eyes black as the void and his posture still. Very still. Gaster used the opportunity to pause the recording before speaking again. “I believe they may be toying with us. Trying to use a previous tragedy to force us into action sooner than expected.”

 

“Doesn’t tell us how they knew the kid’s name.” Sans gave a small shrug, shoulders relaxing when he realized that his father didn’t want to discuss what to do about you. Not yet, at the very least. 

 

Gaster’s expression remained unchanging, his hands folding together in front of him as he stared at his eldest son. “We have no idea how much they know.”

 

“We also don’t have a body to prove they don’t actually have Chara. Or Asriel.” 

 

Gaster’s fingers twitched, annoyance coating his voice this time, “I do not want to give out information based on speculation. You shall tell the others what was said, that is it.” He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “I do not want anyone to hold onto the false hope of the two being alive after all these years.”

 

Sans didn’t say anything-- he didn’t need to. He understood. 

 

“Now, as for the new human,”

  
He didn’t like where this was going.

  
“She is not incompetent. She would have been thrown in jail or killed much sooner for her work otherwise. She is a vital tool for us to reach more human contacts, as well as goods. However, If she becomes a liability, you know what must be done.” Gaster gave a nearly exasperated sigh, “It is unlike you to play the hero, Sans, but it has left me with a mess of paperwork. I almost prefer you sleeping on the job. See to it that accidents like this don't happen again without my orders.”

 

There was a long pause, but eventually Sans nodded. “Sure thing, boss.”

 

“Oh, and Sans?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You have seen the color of her soul, haven't you? It means nothing but good things for us, even if things do not work out as planned.”

 

A chill went down his spine. He didn't reply to that either.

 

His thoughts were overtaking him has he was excused from Gaster’s office. Somehow you had the worst luck Sans had ever seen-- first getting wrapped up in selling a soul, then the fire, and now this. Luck like that was bad for business, and he knew that to Gaster, business came first. Business for the betterment of monster kind, no matter what was held as collateral. Despite growing up on those beliefs, it was still a hard pill to swallow. 

 

By the time he had changed and washed up, Alphys had come running out of the infirmary, her hands flapping in excitement. 

 

“S-She’s awake and would like to talk to you!” She looked relieved, and rightly so. A bunch of monsters taking a human to the emergency room wasn’t the smartest idea, and everyone knew it. “A-Also you should probably bring her some water, she will need it if she wants to recover fully.”

 

He gave a nod. His worries about what Gaster had planned for the future, his plans for you, could wait. “Thanks, Alph.”

 

“A-Anytime.”

 

\---

 

You felt remarkably better after showering and eating, and you, Sans, and Papyrus used the rest of the day to hang out. Papyrus was thrilled to show you his action figure collection, his favorite books and nearly dragged you into a marathon of his Mettaton DVD collection. Meanwhile Sans just watched as his brother dragged you around, throwing out a pun or two when the time called for it. You loved being Papyrus’s friend and sharing in his excitement for certain things, but by the time the sun was starting to set you were feeling exhausted. With a sigh you flopped onto their couch, jostling Sans and earning a chuckle in reply. 

 

“Hey bro, why don't you get ready for bed? I'll come in and read you a story in a sec.”

 

“Alright! Sleep well, human, do not forget that we are going to make breakfast tomorrow!” And with his usual grin Papyrus dashed up the stairs and into his room, shutting the door behind him.

 

After a comfortable and much needed silence settled in the room, Sans spoke, “Thanks for keeping Papyrus busy today. Looked like he had fun.”

 

You sat up, facing the short skeleton, “I had fun too. He’s a bit… exhausting to be around at times, but I like his enthusiasm over everything.” You gave a grin, “I’m happy that I have the chance to be his friend.”

 

The white lights in Sans’ eyes seemed to get bigger before shifting away, his smile widening, “Yeah. I don't know what a bonehead like me would do without him.”

 

You made a noise of acknowledgement. It was a weird thought to think of the brothers being apart for too long, let alone be without one another entirely. But it was a very real possibility if things went south. 

 

The silence after that was a bit uncomfortable. With an exaggerated stretch, Sans stood up from the couch, lights in his eyes turning towards you again, “Ya should probably get sleeping soon. I’d offer my bed but I think that would be  _ cushion  _ my luck.” a skeletal finger pointed at the couch cushion for emphasis. That one was a stretch, but you laughed anyways, genuinely falling into an exhaustion induced fit of giggles. His grin seemed to grow, “Glad you're not mad at me for making such a  _ blanketed _ statement. I'll grab ya some pillows and you can crash on the couch.”

 

You gave a nod, smile still on your face, “Sure, sure. I'll be here.”

 

With that he left the room, heading upstairs. You relaxed, head resting on the back of the couch and eyes staring off at the ceiling. Things had been surprisingly normal for what had happened the night before. Even if the morning had started off a bit awkward, it was easy to fall into a sense of security when around the brothers. Your eyes had started to slip shut when the front door opening caused you to jump, eyes immediately locking on the culprit. It was Gaster, and although it shouldn't have, it surprised you to see him. He was in his usual attire, though his posture was slouched slightly, much more casual than you had ever seen him before. When he noticed your presence he straightened up, giving you a look that you couldn't decipher the meaning of. 

 

“Oh, hello. I didn't know we were having guests.” 

 

Suddenly you were feeling like maybe staying with the skeleton brothers wasn’t the best idea-- definitely not wanting to be any more of an inconvenience today. You hadn't talked to him since you had failed your assignment, and you were a bit anxious being around your boss after what happened. You tried not to think about it too hard; you had gotten more information out of the bartender after all, albeit unintentionally. 

 

You gave a slightly nervous smile, “Hello, Gaster. Sans and Papyrus offered for me to sleep here for the night.”

 

“How thoughtful of them.” he sounded indifferent as he stepped over to where you were sitting. He was tall in the first place, standing about the same height as Papyrus, but he seemed to loom over you now, lights in his eyes focused as though he was looking through you. You opened and closed your mouth like a drowned fish, trying to find something to say under such an intense gaze. Thankfully you didn’t have to sit there dumbfounded for long

 

“Sup, Pops.” Sans voice from the other side of the room caught both Gaster’s and your own attention. Gaster held his chin high, giving a polite enough smile to the smaller skeleton.

 

“Good evening, Sans. I was just about to tell the human that I have a job for them.”

 

Sans raised a bony brow, “Where are we goin’?”

 

“I have a different assignment for you, Sans. But we can talk about this tomorrow morning.” He put one of his fractured hands to his chest, giving a small bow to you. “I am glad to see you recovered. Rest well.”

 

Sans’ eye sockets were glued to his father’s as the taller skeleton passed, heading upstairs without a glance back. When you were certain he had to be too far away to hear, you finally glanced over to Sans. “I wonder what he’s gonna want me doing.” Probably nothing dangerous if Sans was going to be doing his own thing. 

 

“Probably whatever you fences do. Somethin’ easy.” He shrugged.

 

“Hey, don't downplay my job!” You gave an exaggerated scoff, grabbing one of the pillows with the fullest intent on hitting the skeleton square in the face.

 

What you didn't account for was the fact he could teleport at will, and you ended up swatting the air and getting laughed at instead. 

 

“Hey, don't  _ rail  _ on me too hard, kid.” He winked, “Now get some shut eye. It's gonna be an early morning.”

 

The two of you exchanged good night's and you were left to your thoughts, curled up in a warm knit blanket and staring at the empty space in front of you. It was easy to relax around the skeleton brothers, but this line of business… it was dangerous. In the pit of your stomach you had an inkling that this was just the beginning. How much longer would it be before one of the houses in this suburb was subject to another attack? What if this time there were casualties? You couldn't stand the thought of innocent children getting caught in the crossfire. 

 

In a way, you could understand why W.D. had been doing the things he did. He hid from the public eye, killed, robbed, he took someone’s SOUL, that crime in particular seemed like a pretty big deal to begin with. But he did it to keep his people safe, didn't he?

 

You wondered what the intricacies of collecting a human soul was. Before you had a no questions asked policy-- even if your clients did tell you, it was rare that you actually liked the answer. It wasn't your responsibility to be on the moral high ground in the first place, just to buy and sell whatever people managed to “stumble upon”.

 

But thing we're different now. You were a part of their team. You were going to help in any way you could, but that meant that you couldn't be kept in the dark about things. 

 

You rolled over and closed your eyes. Tomorrow you were going to get answers if you had to pull them from W.D. himself. Most of all, you were filled with determination. 

 

\---

 

Sans hadn’t been kidding when he said it would be an early morning. You were up and at the warehouse by 6:30 in the morning. You thought about sneaking a bit more rest in the bunk room, but decided against. You had a job to do, after all. 

 

“T-This is all the things that I will need.” Alphys handed you a hastily written list. Various components and mechanical parts both familiar and foreign to you. You quirked a brow at the last item on the list.

 

“Hey Alphys, why do you guys even need guns if you have magic?”

 

She shifted her eyes, hands wringing together, “W-Well they’re more efficient. Using magic takes a lot of energy a-and power, and even then there are some monsters who aren’t that strong. It a-also puts us in a more vulnerable state.”

 

You gave a small nod, “Makes enough sense. So where should I go to get some of this stuff? I mean, most of the mechanical stuff and guns shouldn’t be too hard to acquire, but I’ve never even heard about some of these things.”

 

“I-I know someone. Here, let me give you his number.” You handed it to her without hesitation, and before you knew it the device was back in your hands, with the contact [BP] added. “Alright, thanks Alphys. I should get cracking. Wouldn’t want to let Gaster down again.” Your laugh was a bit forced, and by the look on Alphys’s face she could tell. Fortunately she didn’t say anything, just giving a polite goodbye before leaving to do her own work. 

With a soft sigh you started to work, sending emails, phone calls, and texts to various contacts you had worked with in the past-- eventually you got around to texting the number that Alphys had punched into your phone. 

 

**_BP? Alphys told me to text. We need some items._ **

 

It wasn’t even a few minutes before your phone vibrated.

 

_ Again? What, does she think this stuff grows on trees? _

 

That… wasn’t entirely what you were expecting. Another vibration, signaling another text.

 

_ I’ll have ‘em all at the usual place tonight. Usual rate. _

 

You made a mental note to tell Alphys next time you saw her. You crossed off the monster related items off the list, circled those which you had inquired about but hadn’t gotten back to you yet. And then the last item on the list. You scrolled through your contacts, stopping at the name “Ripley” and hitting call.

 

“Hello?” You heard his voice from the other side of the line, slightly nasally and familiar. 

 

“Uh, hey.” A smile found it’s way on your face, “Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve called.”   
  


“So long?!” He nearly sounded offended, “I saw the fire on the news and thought you were a gonner! You better have a good excuse for this!” 

 

“I’ll fill you in later, but I’m actually calling for business.” You glanced at your paper, “I’m gonna need all the guns and ammo you can get your hands on.”

 

There was silence, and then, “You’re always full of surprises.”

 

He wasn’t wrong. 

 

\---

 

It was later that night when you finally met up with him. Papyrus had tagged along, mostly because he was worried about your blunder the last time you were out on the job, but also because firearms were his specialty. 

 

To say Ripley was shocked when you arrived with a skeletal companion would have been an understatement. 

 

“H-Holy--!” The man nearly jumped out of his skin, his eyes looking even bigger behind the large round glasses he wore than they usually did. He still looked like you remembered him, freckles dusting his face and dark blonde hair tousled in it’s usual fashion.

 

“Hello human!” Papyrus beamed, leaning over to offer a gloved hand. Ripley glanced at you, then the skeleton, before finally giving a tentative hand shake. 

 

“Hello… skeleton?” He shot you a glance, and you simply shrugged, kind of enjoying watching the exchange unfold. 

 

Papyrus took his hand back, clearing his non existent throat and switching into business mode, “We were told you could keep our organization supplied with firearms and ammunition.”

 

Ripley gave a nod, “I mean, it won’t be cheap, but yeah, I can see what I can do. But uh…” He glanced over, talking to you more than Papyrus, “You’re not gonna use these to uh… kill anyone, are you?”

 

You hadn’t exactly thought about it that hard. Papyrus always had a gun on him, and Sans had taught you how to use one, but that was for self defense. But with the sheer amount of weapons that Gaster was asking for… 

 

Papyrus spoke up before you had the chance to, “Not if we can help it! We don’t have to do a violence, but we can’t be unprepared either.”

 

Nodding along, you tried to give your best reassuring smile, “These guys, W.D.’s gang, they’re not too bad at all. They’re just trying to keep their homes, friends, and families safe. I kinda joined their cause...” After the fire. “A while ago.”

 

This seemed to ease Ripley’s concern enough, as the crease between his brow softened a bit, “Well I’ve sold firearms to worse for lesser reasons. But we should probably go over numbers and payment.

 

It was mostly him and Papyrus talking as you glanced around Ripley’s shop. Buying and selling firearms were easy in this city, and he had no need to hide his business, unlike yourself. It was easy to miss your own shop while being in his. 

 

“Are you ready to go, Human?” Papyrus’s voice from behind you made you jump, but you were quick to recover with a smile.

 

“Sure thing, but Ripley,” You caught his gaze, “I want you to spread the word that monsters aren’t so bad. Maybe get some of your “regulars” that we’re always looking for more people to join the cause. Fuck the police and all that.” 

 

The grin Ripley gave was bordering on cheeky, and gave an enthusiastic nod, “No problem! Be sure to keep in touch though. Uh,” His face lit up as he stammered out, “Y-you too, Papyrus, don’t be a stranger!”

 

“Of course, Human! I will acquire your phone number and we can become best friends!”

 

With shared goodbyes, you and the taller skeleton began walking back to the van, which was parked a few blocks down. You thought about your questions from the previous day-- about Chara and Asriel, and now about all the planning that was going on.  _ Well _ , you decided,  _ now or never. _

 

“Papyrus, can I ask you something?”

 

“Of course!” He puffed up his chest, “I have many answers!”

 

“What happened ten years ago? That caused the death of Asgore’s children?”

 

He visibly deflated and you were tempted to tell him nevermind, and that you didn’t need to know. Before you could express any of that he spoke. 

 

“We used to be a lot bigger. There were the Royal Guards, Muffet had a faction of her own. The King, Queen, and their two children were very highly regarded. I was training to become a member of the Royal Guard myself! I was going to be a incredibly popular skeleton, and bathe in a shower of kisses every morning! But…” He fiddled with the cuff of his jacket, “A human gang came in the middle of the night. They set fire to a lot of buildings where monsters lived, they… killed many who tried to run.”

 

You could see tears beginning to form from his eye sockets-- a feat that in any other situation you would have found fascinating. But right now you just remained silent, stepping in time with him until he slowed to a stop. 

 

“We were all sent to help who we could. But the King’s children were caught in the crossfire. After that things changed… people no longer believed that the King could protect us, and in grief he stepped down. Father felt it was his duty to take his place. He is a very noble skeleton!” He sniffled, using his sleeves to wipe his eyes, “But we are still recovering, and preparing for their next move. I do not want to kill anymore.” That caused you to wince, “But I want to protect those I care for even more.”

 

You found yourself tearing up as well, wrapping an arm around him in a one armed hug, “Well I’ll do what I can. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

 

“You are a very kind human, and are friends with kind humans as well! I am sure with our combined efforts we will be able to stop any more violence!”

You weren’t sure about that. But you nodded anyways. 

 

Any amount of hope was better than none.


End file.
